© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Kristin McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Walt Disney Company smiles as she speaks during the Milken Institute’s 22nd Annual Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, US, April 29, 2019. REUT
Written by Don Chmielewski and Lisa Richwin
(Reuters) – Walt Disney Christine McCarthy, co-chief financial officer of the New York Stock Exchange, is stepping down to take family medical leave and will help search for a long-term successor, the company said Thursday.
Kevin Lansbury, current CFO of Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division, will serve as the company’s interim CFO effective July 1.
Disney said in a statement that McCarthy, a 23-year Disney veteran who became CFO in 2015, will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to ensure a successful transition. A source said McCarthy’s husband is sick.
“Although I will be leaving the position of Chief Financial Officer, I look forward to helping with the transition and will always root for the success of my extended Disney family,” McCarthy said in a statement.
McCarthy, 65, helped pave the way for CEO Bob Iger’s return to Disney last November, when she expressed her distrust of predecessor Bob Chapek.
On Thursday, Iger called McCarthy “one of the most admired financial executives in America.”
“Christine served as the key strategic anchor during a period of significant transformation,” Egger added.
