Disney Prepares to Trim 1,000 Jobs, Marketing Targeted

Mintesinot Nigussie

Walt Disney is planning to cut up to 1,000 positions in the coming weeks, with many of the reductions expected to affect its marketing department. The layoffs would affect less than one percent of the entertainment giant’s global workforce of about 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal year 2025.

Preparations for the job cuts began before Josh D’Amaro formally assumed his role as chief executive officer in March 2026. The expected reductions are linked to a broader internal initiative code-named Project Imagine, aimed at streamlining and consolidating the company’s marketing operations.

Disney’s newly appointed chief marketing officer, Asad Ayaz, who began overseeing a consolidated company-wide marketing organisation in January, is leading efforts to unify teams and reduce expenses under that programme.

The latest round of cuts would extend a multi-year effort to rein in costs and would be one of the first significant workforce adjustments coinciding with D’Amaro’s tenure. Earlier restructuring efforts under previous leadership reduced thousands of roles across Disney.

Businesses in media, entertainment and advertising sectors are watching the move closely, as it reflects ongoing cost optimisation in a rapidly changing industry landscape.

Overall, Disney’s planned job cuts signal continued efforts to streamline operations and improve efficiency amid evolving market conditions in the entertainment sector.

Mintesinot Nigussie