Dana Walden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dana M. Freedman October 1964 (age 59)
Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Employer | The Walt Disney Company (2019–present) |
| Title | Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment |
| Board member of |
Live Nation Entertainment UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Saban Free Clinic of Los Angeles |
| Children | 2 |
Dana Walden (born 1964) is an American businesswoman and the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment. She currently serves as a member of the President's Export Council. [1]
Career
Fox Television Group
Before her tenure at Disney Entertainment, Walden was previously chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group, [2] which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products and the syndication supplier, 20th Television. [3] [4]
The Walt Disney Company
Walden was chairman of Entertainment at Walt Disney Television.
On June 9, 2022, Walden replaced Peter Rice as Chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content [5]
Dana Walden was named co-chairman of Disney Entertainment on February 8, 2023, where she is responsible for television and streaming. [6] [7] As part of this role, Walden leads ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios ( 20th Television, ABC Signature, 20th Television Animation and Walt Disney Television Alternative), Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective. [5]
In April 2024, CNBC reported that Walden was in the running to become Disney's next CEO. [8]
Other board positions
Walden sits on the board of directors for Live Nation Entertainment [9] and UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. [10]
Personal life
Walden is married and has two children. She lives in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Her grandmother Rose Freedman was a survivor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire who lived to the age of 107. [11]
Awards and accolades
Walden was named MIPCOM's Personality of the Year in 2015. [12] She has been named "Showman of the Year" by Variety and "Executive of the Year" in 2019 by The Hollywood Reporter. [13] [14] In 2021, Walden was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business. [15]
References
- ^ "President's Export Council Members". International Trade Administration. 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (July 14, 2014). "Dana Walden, Gary Newman Take Over Fox Broadcasting in Restructuring". Variety.
- ^ Rose, Lacey (December 5, 2012). "20th TV's Dana Walden On Her Career-Changing 'Jerry Maguire' Moment". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Dana Walden on TV's 'Existential Crisis,' TV Studio Vision and Why She Joined Disney". June 19, 2019.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie; Fleming Jr, Mike (June 9, 2022). "Shocker! Peter Rice Fired From Disney; Dana Walden Taking His Post As Chairman, General Entertainment Content". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ "Dana Walden". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ White, Peter (2023-02-08). "Dana Walden & Alan Bergman To Oversee New Disney Entertainment Unit". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ Sherman, Alex (April 1, 2024). "How Dana Walden could defy critics and become Disney's first female CEO". CNBC.
- ^ Variety Staff (June 8, 2018). "Fox's Dana Walden Joins Live Nation Entertainment Board". Variety.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (October 8, 2019). "Dana Walden Backs the Cancer Center That Helped Save Her Mother's Life". Variety.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (February 17, 2001). "Rose Freedman, Last Survivor of Triangle Fire, Dies at 107". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ Stanhope, Kate (May 28, 2015). "Fox Chiefs Dana Walden and Gary Newman Named MIPCOM's Personality of the Year". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Dana Walden". Variety.
- ^ "The Hollywood Reporter's 2019 Women in Entertainment Power 100". The Hollywood Reporter. December 11, 2019.
- ^ Gardner, Chris (2021-02-07). "Dana Walden Talks COVID-19 Protocols, Embracing Failure and Promoting Diversity During Harvard Fireside Chat". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
- American chief executives in the media industry
- American women chief executives
- University of Southern California alumni
- American television executives
- 20th-century American Jews
- 1964 births
- Living people
- Businesspeople from Los Angeles
- People from Brentwood, Los Angeles
- Disney executives
- 21st-century American Jews
- American Broadcasting Company executives
- Presidents of the American Broadcasting Company