Bob Iger Vs. The World

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In this edition, we take a look at the victorious Bob Iger and his long history of settling scores and winning over tech and cinema titans.

This edition is all about Bob Iger - the undefeated champion of the Disney empire. If there's one thing this CEO excels at, it's emerging victorious from high-stakes battles. The latest win under his belt is fending off a challenge from billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz, but that is one among many feathers in Iger’s cap.

Here’s a look at some of Iger's most memorable showdowns.

From Jobs To Scorsese, How Iger Kept Trouble At Bay

Iger vs. Steve Jobs

Back in the early 2000s, tensions were high between Disney and Pixar over their partnership deal. Steve Jobs, the mighty Apple co-founder, openly criticized Disney's handling of the situation. But Iger was determined to disarm the conflict.

His masterstroke? Orchestrating Disney's acquisition of Pixar in 2006. Talk about turning lemons into Mouse-shaped lemonade! On the day of the announcement, Jobs even shared his cancer diagnosis with Iger, highlighting the depths of their newfound partnership.

Iger vs. Roy E. Disney

Roy E. Disney, Walt's nephew, and a longtime Disney executive, was leading a shareholder revolt against the company's management under Michael Eisner. Although Iger wasn't the direct target, the heat was on.

But our fearless warrior didn't flinch. He addressed the concerns raised by Roy and his fellow rebels, eventually declaring a truce with the dissident shareholders.

Avengers And Star Wars

After overcoming the Eisner challenge, Iger set his sights on Marvel Entertainment. This was on the list of “acquisition targets” that Iger and his team drew up after acquiring Pixar in 2006.

Acquiring Marvel proved to be too big a hurdle to overcome for Eisner, and it was proving to be difficult for Iger, too. However, he called for an “assist” from his friend, Jobs, to put in a good word for Iger with Marvel’s then-chairman, Ike Perlmutter.

The call from Jobs proved to be the difference and Disney closed the deal in December 2009 for $4 billion.

Since then, Marvel has released over 30 movies, including The Avengers trilogy which proved to be a roaring success.

Three years after acquiring Marvel, the Mouse House acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion, welcoming Star Wars and Indiana Jones to its world.

Iger vs. Martin Scorsese

When legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese questioned the artistic merit of Marvel movies, calling them more akin to "theme parks" than true cinema, Iger could have gone on the offensive. Instead, he took the high road.

With diplomacy befitting a world-class CEO, Iger extended an olive branch, offering to share "a glass of wine" with the critic for a friendly chat. Bravo, sir!

Iger vs. Elon Musk

More recently, tech billionaire Elon Musk aimed his sights at Iger after Disney pulled ads from X following Musk's controversial posts. The tech titan claimed Walt Disney himself would be "turning in his grave" over Iger's leadership.

But Iger wasn't fazed. He calmly explained that the company felt the association with Musk's platform “was not necessarily a positive one.”

Mic drop moment.

Iger vs. Nelson Peltz

In the latest battle royale, Iger took on activist investor Nelson Peltz, who had spent months demanding changes at Disney and criticizing the board's performance. Peltz even received a late endorsement from his pal Musk.

But when the dust settled, shareholders overwhelmingly backed Iger and his team, handing Peltz a decisive defeat.

With another victory under his belt, Iger continues to solidify his legacy as a corporate warrior extraordinaire. Whether it's unhappy creatives, disgruntled shareholders, or fellow titans of industry, he always finds a way to emerge triumphant.

The question now is: who will be the next challenger brave (or foolish) enough to step into the ring against Disney's undefeated champion? We'll be watching with popcorn in hand!

That's all for this week! If you found these updates useful, you'll definitely like more from this newsletter. Get deeper dives, hot takes, and all the latest tech news delivered straight to your inbox.