Disney is preparing to cut as many as 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, marking one of the first significant actions under the new CEO Josh D’Amaro, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The layoffs will mainly affect the company’s marketing department, which was recently consolidated as part of a broader cost-cutting effort. As per the WSJ report, the entertainment giant is grappling with shrinking profits from streaming compared to traditional television, weaker box office returns, and fierce competition from tech players like Amazon and YouTube. Disney also aims to redirect the funds towards digital ventures with stronger growth potential.The company already fired more than 8,000 employees since the return of Bob Iger as the CEO in 2022. As part of his return, Iger launched a sweeping restructuring plan at Disney. The report further adds that these latest job cuts happening at Disney were planned before D’Amaro officially took over but will be executed under his leadership.
Consolidation and cost-cutting at Disney
Disney has been merging long-siloed operations in-order to streamline spending and also improve coordination. In January this tear, it unified marketing for entertainment, experiences, and sports under chief marketing officer Asad Ayaz, in a cost-cutting initiative known internally as Project Imagine.Along with this, the company is also combining staff from Disney+ and Hulu as it integrates both streaming platforms into a single app. Consulting firm Bain & Co. has been advising Disney on its cost‑cutting strategy.
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Disney ended fiscal 2025 with 231,000 employees, about 80% of whom work in its experiences division including theme parks and consumer products. While entertainment and corporate operations have faced reductions, the parks and cruise businesses continue to expand.
