Disney is cutting around 1,000 jobs this week as new CEO Josh D’Amaro makes his first big move running the company. The short version: Disney had separate marketing and PR teams for almost every part of the business, and they are combining all of them into one team.
Why Did This Happen?
Think of it this way. Until now, Marvel has had its own marketing team. Disney+ had its own. ESPN had its own. The parks had their own. Each one was running separately, spending money separately, and talking to fans separately. Over time, that created a lot of overlap people doing the same jobs in different parts of the building. Disney decided it no longer made sense to keep operating that way, so they are combining everything into one central marketing organization.
Asad Ayaz, who was recently promoted to Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, is running the new combined team. When he was promoted back in January, then-CEO Bob Iger said Disney needed someone in that role specifically to make sure the brand sounded consistent no matter where fans encountered it. This week’s restructuring is that idea put into action.
Who Was Affected?
The cuts hit the marketing teams hardest. The Home Entertainment team and the group that produced press materials for Disney films and shows were dissolved completely. Layoffs also reached Marvel Studios, ESPN, Hulu, and several technology teams. Some employees who lost their previous roles were offered new positions within the reorganized structure rather than being let go entirely.
What Did Disney Leadership Say?
Both D’Amaro and Ayaz addressed employees directly. Ayaz told his team in a memo that the leadership had spent several months planning the new structure with the goal of building something “nimble and modern” that could better serve fans. He acknowledged it had been a hard week and committed to supporting employees going through the transition. D’Amaro said the cuts were not a reflection of anyone’s work, but a decision about how to structure the company going forward.
What Does This Mean for Disney Fans?
For most park and Disney+ fans, the day-to-day experience is unlikely to change right away. The goal of a unified marketing team is actually that Disney should feel more consistent and connected across its parks, movies, streaming, and merchandise. Whether that plays out in practice is something we will be watching. Disney will discuss the financial side of this restructuring when it reports earnings on May 6, 2026.
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Disney Is Laying Off 1,000 Employees and Combining All of Its Marketing Teams Into One
