According to a report by Deadline, Disney is planning to cut approximately 1,000 jobs in the coming months. These layoffs represent the first significant workforce restructuring since Josh D’Amaro took the helm as CEO.
As of the end of the last fiscal year, Disney’s global workforce stood at roughly 230,000, a large portion of which consists of part-time roles at its theme parks. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the layoffs are primarily focused on consolidating marketing departments, with the goal of eliminating redundant functions across the company’s film, television, and streaming divisions.
Streamlining and Cost Control
In January, Disney appointed veteran executive Asad Ayaz as Chief Brand Officer, tasking him with overseeing marketing operations across all departments. This current round of layoffs is a follow-up to that integration strategy. Disney has declined to comment on the reports.
While this reduction is notable, it is smaller in scale compared to the adjustments made during the tenure of former CEO Bob Iger. Between 2023 and 2025, Iger oversaw multiple rounds of layoffs that eliminated approximately 8,000 positions, resulting in $7.5 billion in cost savings—a figure that far exceeded the company’s initial projections.
Disney has been taking frequent action to maintain financial competitiveness amidst a broader wave of cost-cutting across the media industry. In June, the company cut hundreds of jobs globally across various divisions, including film and television marketing, publicity, casting, and development, as well as corporate finance. That move marked the fourth, and largest, round of layoffs within the television division over a 10-month period.
D’Amaro was officially named CEO on February 3 and took full control of the company at the annual shareholders' meeting on March 18, bringing an end to Bob Iger’s 52-year career at Disney and his two separate stints as the company's leader.