Disney Names James Pitaro As New ESPN President

07 Mar 2018 | tshego

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James Pitaro has been announced as the new president of ESPN and co-chair of Disney Media Networks by the Walt Disney Company.

He will take up the new role immediately, taking over from John Skipper who resigned in December after a six-year tenure, citing substance addiction. Pitaro will report directly to chief executive Robert Iger.

Pitaro has been at Disney since 2010, serving as chairman of Disney Consumer Products and International Media since 2016. He also has experience at Yahoo! Media as vice president – which included leading Yahoo! Sports.

George Bodenheimer, who took over as acting chairman of ESPN after Skipper left, will stay until the end of the year, acting as a consultant.

Pitaro said: “As a passionate and lifelong sports fan, I am honoured to be joining the ESPN team during such a pivotal time in its storied history.

“The appetite for quality sports content across platforms has never been greater, and I am looking forward to working with the talented ESPN team as we continue to redefine the future fan experience.”

Iger added: “Jimmy is a talented and dedicated leader with the right strategic vision, relentless drive and passion for sports required to lead the stellar ESPN team at this incredibly dynamic time.

“Jimmy forged his career at the intersection of technology, sports and media, and his vast experience and keen perspective will be invaluable in taking ESPN into the future.

“I also want to extend my utmost thanks to George Bodenheimer for serving as acting chair of ESPN these past few months; he is a true industry pioneer and helped make ESPN the undisputed leader in sports.”