Susan E. Arnold (born March 8, 1954) is an American business executive who formerly served as the chairman of The Walt Disney Company.

Susan Arnold
Born (1954-03-08) March 8, 1954 (age 70)[1]
OccupationExecutive
EmployerThe Walt Disney Company
TitleChairman
Term2021–2023
PredecessorBob Iger (2012–2021)

Early life and education

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Arnold graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master of Business Administration degree.[2]

Career

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Susan Arnold began her career as a brand assistant for the Dawn/Ivory Snow Group at Proctor Gamble in 1980. In 1999, she assumed global responsibility for Procter & Gamble's beauty business, thereby becoming the first woman to reach a president-level position in the company.[3][4] She retired from Procter & Gamble on September 1, 2009.[5]

Between 2013 and 2021, Arnold served as an operating executive of The Carlyle Group.[6] She is based in New York. Arnold has served on the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company since 2007,[7] as well as the Carlyle portfolio investments company NBTY, The Nature's Bounty Co. She has also been a member of the Board of Directors of McDonald's Co. since 2008. In 2004 she became Vice Chairman of Procter & Gamble and President of the company in 2007.[8][9][10]

On December 1, 2021,[11][7] Arnold was appointed to replace Bob Iger as chair of the board at The Walt Disney Company and became the first woman to be appointed to this position in the 98-year history of Disney.[12][13] She was elected chair on December 31, 2021.[14] On January 11, 2023, Disney announced that Arnold would no longer serve as the board's chair after the next annual shareholder meeting and would be replaced by former Nike CEO Mark Parker.[15]

Personal life

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Arnold is openly lesbian.[16][17] Since 2002, she has been listed on Fortune magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business as #7 in 2008. In 2004 and 2005, she was listed on the Wall Street Journal's 50 Women to Watch. She was listed multiple times on the Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful Women and in 2005 she was #16 on Forbes' The World's 100 Most Powerful Women list. She served for several years on the executive committee of Catalyst, a nonprofit organization working toward the advancement of women in business.[8][9] In June 2022, she was recognized by the International Hospitality Institute on the Global 100 in Hospitality as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Hospitality.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Susan E. Arnold".
  2. ^ "Susan E Arnold, Walt Disney Co: Profile and Biography - Bloomberg Markets". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  3. ^ Neff, Jack (9 March 2009). "Susan Arnold to Retire From P&G". Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Procter & Gambles Susan Arnold to retire". Marketing Week. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  5. ^ Vanac, Mary (9 March 2009). "Procter & Gamble veteran Susan Arnold steps down as global business president". MedCity News. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  6. ^ Steinberg, Brian (1 December 2021). "Susan Arnold Will Take Disney Chairman Role After Bob Iger's Departure". Variety. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Susan Arnold Named Chairman of the Board of The Walt Disney Company, Effective December 31". Walt Disney Company. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "The Walt Disney Company - Susan Arnold Biography". Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  9. ^ a b "Susan Arnold, The Most Powerful Women - Forbes.com". Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  10. ^ "The Walt Disney Company - News from the Disney Board - May 01, 2007". Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  11. ^ Bursztynsky, Jessica (1 December 2021). "Disney names Susan Arnold as board chair, replacing Bob Iger". CNBC. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Disney appoints woman as chair for first time in 98-year history". BBC News. 2 December 2021.
  13. ^ Palmeri, Christopher (3 December 2021). "Susan Arnold: After 98 years, Walt Disney gets first woman chair". Business Standard India.
  14. ^ "Susan Arnold Named Chairman of the Board of The Walt Disney Company, Effective December 31". Walt Disney Company. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  15. ^ Galley, Jackie (January 11, 2023). "Disney Appoints Mark Parker As Chairman of the Board, Replacing Susan Arnold". www.wdwinfo.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  16. ^ Rhiza Dizon, 'Sears or Playboy May Get Gay CEO', The Advocate, March 10, 2009 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-15. Retrieved 2009-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ Marc Gunther, 'Queer Inc.: How Corporate America fell in love with gays and lesbians. It's a movement.', CNN, November 30, 2006 [1]
  18. ^ Mix, Pulse (2022-08-01). "Dr Jeffrey Obomeghie and Dupe Olusola among the 100 most powerful people in global hospitality". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
Business positions
Preceded by Disney chairman
2021-2023
Succeeded by