The Walt Disney Company has nominated former Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams to stand for election to its board of directors at the 2026 annual shareholders’ meeting, a move that would expand the board from 10 to 11 members if investors approve.
Disney’s filing describes Williams as an independent director candidate who retired from Apple earlier this year after nearly three decades at the tech company. He joined Apple in 1998 as head of worldwide procurement, became vice president of operations in 2004 and rose to COO in 2015. In that role, he oversaw Apple’s global supply chain, customer service and support, and later the company’s design team. Disney notes that Williams helped steer landmark launches including the first iPhone and the Apple Watch, while leading Apple’s push into health and fitness technology.
Disney board chair James Gorman called Williams “a highly accomplished executive” and said his track record at the intersection of technology, operations and product design will strengthen the board as Disney leans on digital platforms and data-driven decisions. The current slate already includes figures such as CEO Bob Iger, General Motors chief Mary Barra and former Instacart and Meta executive Carolyn Everson, who brought one tech-oriented voice to the room in 2022.
Williams said he has long admired Disney’s history of pairing imagination with new tools, calling the company “storied” and saying he looks forward to working with its leadership on “creativity and excellence.” His comments align with Disney’s recent emphasis on partnerships that blend storytelling with emerging hardware, from theme park experiences to streaming products.
The nomination arrives after a bruising 2024 proxy fight, in which activist investor Nelson Peltz argued Disney’s board lacked fresh perspectives and strong succession planning. Shareholders backed the company’s full slate by a wide margin, and governance analysts later pointed to the episode as a reminder that board skill sets and tech expertise sit under close scrutiny.
Williams’ candidacy also highlights long-running links between Disney and Apple. Iger previously served on Apple’s board before stepping down in 2019 as the companies became direct rivals in streaming. More recently, Iger appeared onstage at Apple’s WWDC to announce that Disney+ would launch on the Apple Vision Pro headset, and Disney has promoted that device as a new canvas for immersive versions of its franchises.
Disney’s 2025 investor messaging has leaned heavily on technology, from AI-driven personalization on Disney+ to digital tools inside parks. Iger told shareholders this year that AI will play a central role in how Disney shapes future experiences and efficiencies. Williams’ background suggests the board wants a director who has already scaled those kinds of systems inside one of the world’s largest consumer-tech companies.
