Josh D’Amaro has found his backfill.
Thomas Mazloum, the current president of the Disneyland Resort, will become chairman of Disney Experiences. D’Amaro, the former Disney Experiences chairman, will become the Walt Disney Company’s CEO next week. (They will assume their new roles on the same day, next Wednesday.)
“Thomas Mazloum is an exceptional leader with a genuine appreciation for our cast members and a proven track record of delivering growth,” said D’Amaro in an official statement. “His focus on service excellence, broad international leadership, and strong connection to the creativity that brings our stories to life make him the right leader to guide Disney Experiences into its next chapter.”
Mazloum has been president of Disneyland Resort for a little over a year, where he “leads 36,000 cast members and all facets of the business, including Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks, three resort hotels and the Downtown Disney District,” according to his official company bio. Before that, he was president of Disney Signature Experiences, leading key growth businesses like the Disney Cruise Line. Under Mazloum’s leadership “the companyʼs cruise business reached new heights, securing investments and development plans to double the fleet size by 2031, building a second island destination in The Bahamas and sailing to new ports of call around the world.”
The Austria-born exec also oversaw Disney Vacation Club, their time share operation; Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions, which offer guided tours around the country; Golden Oak, an exclusive community of luxury homes at Walt Disney World (Pat Sajak has a house there, for what it’s worth); Aulani, the company’s one-off resort in Hawaii; Disney Institute, which offers educational programs internally and for other businesses; and Storyliving by Disney, which offer master-planned communities by Disney, with the first such community opening soon outside of Palm Springs.
Before that he “served as Senior Vice President of Operations at the Walt Disney World Resort, overseeing 31 Disney resort hotels, as well as Disney Springs, ESPN Wide World of Sports and transportation operations.” He started his career with Disney in 1998 as a hotel director for Disney Cruise Line, eventually serving as general manager for EPCOT.
There were additional leadership changes, with Jill Estorino becoming president, Disneyland Resort; Tasia Filippatos serving as president, Disney Parks International; and Lisa Baldzicki becoming president, Disney Consumer Products. All roles will report to Mazloum.
Over her 35-year carrer Estorino “held numerous leadership roles, including executive vice president of Global Marketing and Sales for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, where she played a key role in the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort. Most recently, as President of Disney Parks International, Estorino oversaw the operations, expansion and development of Disney’s international parks and resorts, including Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort with the Oriental Land Company. Estorino successfully expanded Disney’s global footprint at sites around the world, reaching new consumers and fans from around the world. Since her appointment, Disney’s international parks have seen strong performance and growth,” according to the official release.
In her new role, Estorino will utilize her “global perspective shaped by decades of leadership across Disney’s diverse portfolio of experiences. As a strong business and marketing strategist, she focuses on brand stewardship, exceptional guest experiences, and a deeply connected cast culture. Estorino will guide the resort through its next phase of growth while continuing to foster the culture and community that has defined Disneyland,” according to the release.
Filippatos is tasked with “overseeing the growth and evolution of Disney’s parks outside the United States,” with parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo and a new cruise ship sailing out of Singapore.
Baldzicki’s promotion to Disney Consumer Prodcuts means she is in a place “where she will continue to build on the great momentum and evolution of our global consumer products business.”
“As we look ahead, I have tremendous confidence in Thomas and in the leaders stepping into these roles — Jill, Tasia, and Lisa — along with the incredible leadership team across Disney Experiences,” said D’Amaro in an official statement. “Together, they will continue to build on our momentum around the world, delivering the service, creativity and one-of-a-kind experiences that define Disney.”
