Michael D. Eisner (placeholder)

CEO, Walt Disney Company (1984 – 2005)

Michael D. Eisner joined The Walt Disney Company as Chairman and CEO in 1984. In twenty-one years at its helm, he revitalized and reinvented Disney into a full spectrum entertainment enterprise. Under his leadership, the company began implementation of a continuing series of creative growth strategies that resulted in its annual revenues rising from $1.7 billion to more than $30 billion. During his stewardship, Disney animation experienced a renaissance with hits including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Disney also became a leader in live-action films with pictures such as Pretty Woman, Sixth Sense and Pirates of the Caribbean. Mr. Eisner has been a leader in the entertainment industry for nearly forty years helping to shape this key area of the American economy. Eisner is the author of two books, Work in Progress, which he co-authored with Tony Schwartz, about his involvement in the entertainment industry, and Camp about the life lessons that come from leading a canoe expedition or sitting around a campfire. Mr. Eisner graduated from The Lawrenceville School in 1960 and Denison University in 1964 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English literature and theater.