Bob Chapek has been in the media spotlight several times since he took on the role of The Walt Disney Company CEO. But as much as you know about his recent decisions, there’s a lot you probably don’t know about Chapek himself.
What did Chapek do before he became the Disney CEO? And what about before he worked for Disney at all? What did he study in college? And — the most important question of all — what’s his favorite Disney snack? We’ve got all the answers and more fun facts about Disney CEO Bob Chapek.
What Bob Chapek Did Before Becoming the CEO of Disney
Bob Chapek — or Rober Alan Chapek if you want to know his full name — worked as the Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products before becoming the Disney CEO. He held this role from 2018 to 2020, and before that, he was the Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (from 2015 to 2018).
During his time leading the Disney Parks team, he oversaw the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort (in 2016), the christening of several new Disney cruise ships, and the opening of 2 immersive Star Wars-themed lands (one at Disneyland and one at Disney World).
He also led “the expansion of Marvel-inspired attractions worldwide and massive development projects at Disneyland Paris,” according to CNBC.
Before he worked with Disney Parks, Chapek served as the head of Disney Consumer Products. He was also the president of Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, “where he managed the Company’s film content distribution strategy across multiple platforms” (Disney). He’s also been the president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
So Chapek has been involved in many different aspects of The Walt Disney Company, from media distribution to merchandise. But before he started his long career at Disney, he worked for a food processing company that’s mostly known for one thing: ketchup. Chapek worked in brand management for Heinz!
Also on Chapek’s résumé is some time working in advertising at J. Walter Thompson. Now that you know where Chapek has worked, you might be interested to learn what he studied in order to qualify for the positions he’s held. Let’s take a look at his college life.
What Bob Chapek Studied in College
Chapek was born in Hammond, Indiana, so it makes sense that he first studied at the nearby Indiana University Bloomington. But what doesn’t seem to add up when you look at his career choices is his chosen major at this school: Chapek’s undergraduate degree is in microbiology.
So let this be a lesson to all you college students who still can’t decide what you want to do with your life: Even if you choose a career that appears to have NOTHING to do with your college major, you can still become the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. We hope that takes off some of the pressure of choosing the perfect major.
Chapek went on to study management of business administration (now, that makes more sense) at Michigan State University, where he earned his MBA.
What Bob Chapek Is Focusing on as Disney’s CEO
From his studies and his experience working with Disney, Bob Chapek has chosen 3 pillars for his “strategic vision” for The Walt Disney Company. Those 3 pillars are “storytelling excellence, innovation, and audience focus” (Disney).
While those might seem like abstract and immeasurable concepts at first, we’ve seen all 3 come up in interviews with Bob Chapek when he’s asked about his reasoning for certain decisions.
Several times, Chapek has referred to audience demand, guest preferences, and the consumer. When asked about price increases in Disney World, he said, “It’s all up to the consumer. If consumer demand keeps up, then we act accordingly.”
In an interview with Variety, Chapek said, “The ultimate arbiter of what Disney can and can’t be is the fan, the viewer, the guest.” These quotes seem to point back to his focus on the audience.
He has also referenced storytelling as a priority in recent interviews. In fact, Chapek has said that Disney is avoiding “the m-word” (metaverse) in favor of “Next Generation Storytelling,” which is a major project for the company right now. (Learn more about what “Next Generation Storytelling” is here.)
The final pillar is innovation, which essentially means creating a new idea, method, or device. Chapek has not been shy about making changes at Disney, which points to this goal of innovating.
New programs like Park Pass Reservations and Genie+ have been introduced, new products pop up all the time, and new content is consistently coming to the Disney+ streaming service. We’ve also seen new rides that use cutting-edge technology, like the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster in EPCOT.
Disney Has Always Been a Part of Bob Chapek’s Life
Although Chapek didn’t begin his career at The Walt Disney Company, Disney has been a part of his life since he was very young.
According to Business Insider, Chapek’s parents took his family on annual trips to Disney World, so he grew up meeting Mickey Mouse, riding “it’s a small world,” and watching the parade on Main Street, U.S.A.
Chapek said, “That’s where I first developed a deep love for Disney and all that it stands for. That young boy could have never imagined that one day he would get the chance to lead this extraordinary company as the seventh CEO in its nearly 100-year history.”
Growing up with Disney and now having worked for the company for 27 years, he has of course developed a few favorites over the years. From snacks to movies, let’s check out some of Chapek’s Disney favorites.
Bob Chapek’s Disney Favorites
The D23 Inside Disney Podcast interviewed Bob Chapek and asked him about some of his favorite things. Here are Chapek’s answers:
- Favorite Disney Animated Movie: The Little Mermaid
- Favorite Disney Live-Action Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl
- Favorite Star Wars Droid: BB-8
- Favorite Marvel Super Hero: Hulk
- Favorite Binge on Disney+: Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Favorite Disney Resort Hotel: Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Favorite Disney Parks Snack: Pickles
- Favorite Disney Memory: The Invictus Games
If you want to learn more about Disney CEO Bob Chapek and some of his recent decisions, check out the following posts:
- Disney CEO Bob Chapek Says He’s “Not Sure It’s Possible” to Make Everyone Happy
- CEO Bob Chapek Was Asked if Disney Is “Too Woke.” Here’s What He Said.
- CEO Bob Chapek Reveals Who’s REALLY In Control of Disney
- How Bob Chapek Wants to Bring Disney World to Everyone
- Why CEO Bob Chapek Wants Disney to Avoid “the M-Word”
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Click here to learn about Bob Chapek’s contract with Disney.
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Honestly, I don’t care about Bob Chapek other than what he’s doing now. Which is to hold customers upside down and shake all the money he can from us. The warm fuzzy feelings I had for Disney are being stripped away bit by bit – planning and being on vacation is now a chore, not fun any more.