Disney hands Joe Earley responsibility for direct-to-consumer business

Joe Earley

Joe Earley has been named president, direct-to-consumer, Disney Entertainment, effective immediately, Earley, who most recently served as president of Hulu, will lead Disney Entertainment’s streaming efforts including Disney+ and Hulu. He succeeds Michael Paull, who is leaving the company after six years.

In his new role, Earley will work with content teams to expand the company’s streaming efforts and drive impactful programming and engagement offerings across Disney+ and Hulu. He will continue leading Hulu until a successor is identified.

Earley’s promotion was announced by Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, co-chairmen, Disney Entertainment. In a joint statement they said: “Joe has proven himself to be an extraordinary asset and is uniquely positioned for this role as we guide Disney’s streaming strategy. His industry experience and deep understanding of what sets our portfolio of brands apart will be essential as we build on our robust dtc efforts.”

“Helping launch Disney+ was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Hulu has been inspiring and rewarding,” added Earley. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead these incredible teams during this time of transformation across the streaming landscape.”

Earley joined Disney in January 2019. Previously he served as president of The Jackal Group, overseeing productions ranging from Tidying Up with Marie Kondo to the MGM animated feature film The Addams Family. Before that he served as a Fox executive for over two decades, including as chief operating officer for Fox Television Group.

Disney is currently in the process of shedding around 7,000 jobs as it seeks to make $5.5 billion in cost savings. The first job cuts began last week, with CEO Bob Iger saying there would be three rounds of layoffs between now and summer.