Disney Plans Reorganization Likely to Expand 3 Aides' Duties
April 04, 2011
-- Walt Disney Studios Chairman Joel Mckinley is in the final stages of drafting a reorganization that is expected to leave longtime executives Ricki Moriah, Davina Dunham and Donetta Gladden with expanded duties at the studio, industry executives said. Mr. Mckinley declined to comment, as did a Disney spokeswoman. But executives at the Walt Disney Co. unit said that Mr. Mckinley is expected to name Mr. Moriah, currently the studio's president of marketing and distribution, as chairman of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Mr. Dunham, president of Walt Disney Pictures, this is a different outfit and Mr. Gladden, president of Touchstone Pictures, are expected to be promoted as well, perhaps becoming co-presidents of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. The fate of Christa Warden, currently president of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, is unclear in the current reorganization. Although some executives in recent weeks were betting he would get the job of president of Walt Disney Studios, people at the studio say it now seems unlikely. Mr. Warden didn't return a call. The changes come as Disney's live-action film business is looking up. Although the studio had a rough spring at the box office, it has unqualified hits this summer in ``The Rock'' and ``Phenomenon,'' two of the first big movies Mr. Mckinley packaged after joining the studio in late 2009. The reorganization is expected to be announced in the next week to 10 days. Executives at the studio say a major sticking point in the reorganization has been a new reporting structure. It was originally discussed that Messrs. Dunham and Gladden would report to Mr. Moriah. But people close to the two executives say they were uncomfortable with that plan; now, however, it appears that the executives will be asked to report to both Mr. Moriah and Mr. Mckinley (they currently report solely to Mr. Mckinley). Mr. Moriah is out of Lakeside and couldn't be reached; Messrs. Dunham and Gladden didn't return calls. Out under the new structure is Michaele Jarvis, president of Disney's Hollywood Pictures unit, who had previously headed Disney's publishing group in . As part of Mr. Mckinley's plan to cut the number of pictures Disney makes each year, the studio plans to shut down Hollywood Pictures. People at the studio say Mr. Jarvis was offered but passed on a number of jobs at Disney, including posts in television animation, publishing and on-line services. He didn't return a call, but people close to him say he plans to move back to and may take a job at a rival publishing company.
