Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has confirmed a new round of layoffs, moving quickly to restructure the company just weeks into his tenure.
In a memo sent Tuesday, D’Amaro told employees that Disney has begun notifying staff affected by the cuts. The layoffs are tied to the company’s decision to streamline its marketing and brand operations, following a January move to unify those functions across its film, television, and streaming businesses. The impact is concentrated in marketing and brand, but also reaches other divisions, including studio and TV units,ESPN, product and technology, and selected corporate roles, based on the reports provided.
The scale signals a major internal shift. Reports cited in the sources indicate the cuts could reach up to 1,000 employees, making this one of the most significant workforce reductions since earlier rounds of layoffs in recent years. The move comes as Disney continues to adjust to pressure across the media industry, where changing audience behavior and business models are reshaping operations.
D’Amaro linked the decision to ongoing changes inside the company and across the industry. “We have experienced a great deal of change these last few years, both at the company and across our industries,” he wrote. He said Disney has reviewed operations in recent months to ensure it can “deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” while building “a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs.”
He addressed affected employees and stressed the cuts are not tied to performance. “Those that will be leaving us have done meaningful work here and care deeply about this company,” D’Amaro said. “These decisions are not a reflection of their contributions, or of the overall strength of the company.”
