Rich Ross Steps Down as Chairman

Rich Ross, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, has stepped down.  

Employees of the studio received and email Friday morning stating, "The best people need to be in the right jobs, in roles they are passionate about, doing work that leverages the full range of their abilities. It's one of the leadership lessons I've learned during my career, and it's something I've been giving a great deal of thought to as I look at the challenges and opportunities ahead."

Ross has taken, and maybe unfairly, a lot of flack for the poor  earnings of "John Carter", even though the film was greenlit by Dick Cook and pushed for by John Lasseter.  Ross was responsible for the release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", "Tangled", Cars 2 and "The Muppets".  Even though he had these hits he said in his statement that he no longer believes the Chairman role is the right professional fit for him. Ross said in his written statement, "For that reason, I have made the very difficult decision to step down as Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, effective today."

Bob Iger commented about the loss, saying, "For more than a decade, Rich Ross's creative instincts, business acumen and personal integrity have driven results in key businesses for Disney, redefining success in kids and family entertainment and launching franchises that generate value across our entire company. I appreciate his countless contributions throughout his entire career at Disney."