Geoff Morrell, who took over for Zenia Mucha to lead Disney's communications, has stepped down just three months after taking the job.
"After three months in this new role, it has become clear to me that for a number of reasons it is not the right fit," Morrell said in a letter to his team that CNBC has obtained. "After talking this over with [Disney CEO] Bob [Chapek], I have decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.", will lead Disney's communications efforts and report directly to Chapek.
According to people who worked with him, Morrell set out to be more transparent with Disney's communication than his predecessor, Zenia Mucha, who was known to closely guard Disney's image. Morrell's thinking, according to people familiar with the matter, was based on setting precedent. He feared if Disney took a public stand against "Don't Say Gay," the company may also have to publicly fight future human rights issues, including potential offenses from China, an important market for Disney content. Morrell also feared potential 2024 presidential candidates Donald Trump and Florida Gov.
👋👋 Bye Geoff
Go woke, go broke
The fact that Disney felt compelled to respond… more heads should be chopped.
Who in the C suite thought that was a good idea? Worst corporate decision Disney has done since getting rid of Uncle Remus.