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Disney’s firing of Bob Chapek and rehiring Bob Iger as CEO shocked many, including co-CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings.
L: Reed Hastings, Bloomberg R: Bob Iger, Samir Hussein || Getty Images
Hastings, however, didn’t express concern over Iger as a competitor. In a tweet, he made it clear that he thought Iger was better suited for an even bigger job — president of the United States.
Ugh. I had been hoping Iger would run for President. He is amazing.
— Reed Hastings (@reedhastings) November 21, 2022
“Ugh,” tweeted Hastings Monday, “I had been hoping Iger would run for President. He is amazing.”
The dramatic executive reshuffling happened following Disney’s board learning that Chapek’s leadership was driving top-shelf employees away. Despite having said in the past that he wasn’t interested in coming back to the House of Mouse, the 71-year-old Iger evidently changed his mind.
Hastings wasn’t being dramatic regarding the potential for a candidate Iger. As Business Insider reports, Iger first considered running, but his wife discouraged him. It came up again:
He considered running for president for a second time after the 2016 elections, saying that America was “gravely in need of optimism” in the wake of the Trump presidency. Still, he was met with resistance by his family once again and decided against it.
Business Insider notes that Iger would go on to say he was “‘really naive’ about his leadership abilities and chances of winning.”
There might be another reason Hastings wishes Iger wasn’t back at the helm. Disney is officially one of Netflix‘s strongest rivals for streaming audiences. Hastings might consider starting a movement to draft his rival exec into the 2024 race if Iger further strengthens Disney’s hold on the market.
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