Disney Promoted Cathleen Taff to Lead Studios Division
The media giant has appointed Cathleen Taff to president as it prepares to merge its content and consumer products teams.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Entertainment — General
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Disney has promoted Cathleen Taff to president of Disney Entertainment Studios and Consumer Products. The move is part of a restructuring plan to align the company's product teams more closely with its content production business.
Why it matters
By integrating global licensing and publishing under the studio division, Disney aims to foster tighter collaboration between its creative content side and its consumer products operations. This reorganization is intended to streamline franchise management and production services.
Cathleen Taff will oversee production services, franchise management, and theatrical distribution while maintaining leadership of Disney Theatrical Group and Disney Music Group. The restructuring will officially move global licensing and publishing businesses under the studio division.
The players
Cathleen Taff
She is the newly appointed president of Disney Entertainment Studios and Consumer Products.
Alan Bergman
He serves as the chairman of Disney Entertainment Studios to whom Taff will report.
Thomas Mazloum
He is the chairman of Disney Experiences who continues to oversee retail operations.
Lisa Baldzicki
She has transitioned to the role of executive vice president of global experience and innovation.
The details
Under the new structure, Cathleen Taff will report to Disney Entertainment Studios chairman Alan Bergman. While global licensing moves to the studios, Disney Parks Merchandise and retail operations like DisneyStore.com remain under the Disney Experiences division led by chairman Thomas Mazloum.
Timeline
August 2026: Disney announced the plan to shift the Consumer Products division.
October 4, 2026: Global licensing and publishing operations officially transition to Disney Entertainment Studios.
Industry Dynamics
This reorganization reflects a broader trend among major studios to break down silos between intellectual property development and merchandise sales to maximize franchise value. By consolidating these functions, Disney is attempting to modernize its business structure to remain competitive in a shifting entertainment landscape.
Consumers can expect to see tighter integration between the movies they watch and the retail products available for those franchises in the future. Access to merchandise and the platforms where products are sold will remain consistent as the company maintains its current retail infrastructure.
The takeaway
Disney is betting that bringing product teams closer to the creative process will yield stronger franchise synergy. Readers should watch for how this structural change influences the marketing and availability of merchandise for upcoming film releases.
What happens next
The global licensing and publishing businesses are scheduled to officially move under the umbrella of Disney Entertainment Studios on October 4, 2026.
Further reading
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