Disney puts studios, toys and books under Cathleen Taff

Disney has handed its films, toys and books to one boss.

Cathleen Taff will become president of the newly combined Disney Entertainment – Studios and Consumer Products team, effective Oct. 4, according to Variety. She already runs much of the studio side. Now she adds the wider merchandise business as well.

From that date, Disney’s global licensing and publishing businesses will sit under Disney Entertainment – Studios. Licensing covers products made by outside companies using Disney characters, from T-shirts to lunchboxes. Publishing covers books and comics.

Taff’s brief is broad. She will continue to oversee production services, franchise management and theatrical distribution — getting films into cinemas — for Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures. She will also oversee the Disney Consumer Products businesses, and continue leading Disney Theatrical Group and Disney Music Group.

She will report to Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Entertainment – Studios.

Taff is a long-time Disney executive. She was a 24-year veteran when she was promoted to executive vice president of theatrical distribution in March 2018, after Dave Hollis left as film distribution chief, according to Deadline. Since 2020 she has managed Disney’s production services, a role that includes technology, operations and labour relations for cinema and streaming production, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The reshuffle also changes the job of Lisa Baldzicki, most recently president of Disney Consumer Products. She will move into the newly created role of executive vice president of global experience and innovation.

Baldzicki will keep charge of the Disney Parks merchandise business. She gains expanded responsibility for global parks merchandise and company-run shops, including Disney Store locations worldwide and DisneyStore.com. She will report to Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences.

Not everything is moving. Disney Parks Merchandise, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com will remain under the Disney Experiences division. The wider shift follows Disney’s announcement in August that most of its Disney Consumer Products division would move into the Disney Entertainment segment.

For fans, this means the teams behind the films and the teams behind many of the toys, clothes and books will answer to the same leader. The shops in the parks stay separate.