The Walt Disney Company has hired Benjamin Swinburne, a long-time analyst at Morgan Stanley, to be the Executive Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy. Swinburne has been the managing director and head of U.S. media research at Morgan Stanley since 1999. He will report directly to CFO Hugh Johnston and join the Burbank-based entertainment giant soon.
Swinburne will be in charge of Disney’s investor relations efforts in both roles. He will talk to institutional investors, retail shareholders, sell-side analysts, and other stakeholders about the company’s financial performance and long-term plans. He will also be in charge of the company’s strategy, looking for ways to grow the business as entertainment trends and consumption patterns change. This could include mergers and acquisitions.
Swinburne has more than 25 years of experience in the media, entertainment, advertising, telecom, and cable industries. He is consistently ranked as one of the best analysts in investor surveys and was inducted into the Institutional Investor All-America Research Team Hall of Fame in 2021. Carlos A. Gómez used to be in charge of both investor relations and the treasury.
The new hire comes at a time when Disney is working on a plan for who will take over as CEO Bob Iger, and most of his direct reports are extending their contracts for stability. Johnston praised Swinburne’s “analytical precision and strategic outlook,” and Swinburne said he was excited to help Disney grow.
