Former Apple COO Jeff Williams nominated to Disney board

CALIFORNIA: Disney is bringing Silicon Valley muscle into its boardroom. The Walt Disney Company has nominated former Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams as an independent director, expanding its board to 11 members, subject to shareholder approval at the 2026 annual meeting.

Williams retired from Apple earlier this year after nearly three decades at the company, where he rose to become one of Tim Cook’s most trusted lieutenants. As COO from 2015, he oversaw Apple’s global supply chain, services and support operations, led its design organisation and played a central role in launching the Apple Watch, while shaping the company’s push into health and fitness.

Disney’s chairman James Gorman described Williams as a proven leader with rare experience at the intersection of technology, operations and product design, as the company sharpens its focus on storytelling powered by innovation.

Williams said Disney’s ability to pair imagination with cutting-edge technology has long set it apart, adding that he looks forward to contributing to the company’s next phase of creative and technological ambition.

Before becoming Apple’s COO, Williams held senior operations roles and was instrumental in the 2007 launch of the iPhone. He joined Apple in 1998 after stints in engineering and operations at IBM, and holds degrees from North Carolina State University and Duke University.

Shareholders will vote on Williams’s election alongside the reappointment of Disney’s 10 existing directors. As Hollywood leans harder on technology, Disney’s latest board pick signals where it believes its next competitive edge will come from.