Mark Zoradi, president of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, has resigned effective immediately.
Zoradi oversaw the worldwide marketing and distribution for all Disney films, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Disneynature.
“Mark has done an outstanding job over his many years with the Studio," Walt Disney Studios Chairman Rich Ross said in a statement. "He’s a respected leader throughout the entertainment industry and we wish him the very best.”
Zoradi’s is the latest domino to fall since Dick Cook’s sudden ouster as Walt Disney Studios chairman on Sept. 18. Cook was replaced on Oct. 5 by Rich Ross, upped from his position as president of Disney Channels Worldwide.
Meanwhile, the Disney-owned Miramax has endured its own shrinkage and shakeups, with president Daniel Battsek stepping down Oct. 30.
Zoradi was named president of the motion picture group in July 2006 as part of a major restructuring. At that time the studio cut back the number of Touchstone pictures it produced each year in order to concentrate on the Disney brand.
Oren Aviv was named president of production at Walt Disney Pictures while Zoradi gained oversight of distribution and marketing of all Disney and Touchstone Pictures films worldwide.
Before that restructuring, Zoradi was president of Buena Vista International, the Walt Disney Studios’ international distribution and marketing arm, for 14 years.
Under Zoradi, BVI shattered industry records by earning more than $1 billion annually at the international box office for 12 consecutive years, generating $16.8 billion from 1995-2006.
In his 29 years with Disney, Zoradi has held positions in the studio’s television, home entertainment and film businesses. He started at Disney in 1980 as marketing manager for Walt Disney Home Video in the early days of the home entertainment boom. He then moved to TV, becoming marketing director for the Disney Channel and later was senior VP/general manager of Buena Vista Television from 1987-92.
Related reading:
