Apple Names Art Levinson Chairman, Disney's Bob Iger Joins Board of Directors

apple logoApple today announced that Art Levinson has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors. The former Genentech executive has served on Apple's board since 2000 and has been a co-lead director since 2005. In addition, Disney president and CEO Bob Iger has been named to the board.

“Art has made enormous contributions to Apple since he joined the board in 2000,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “He has been our longest serving co-lead director, and his insight and leadership are incredibly valuable to Apple, our employees and our shareholders.”

“Bob and I have gotten to know one another very well over the past few years and on behalf of the entire board, we think he is going to make an extraordinary addition to our already very strong board,” said Tim Cook. “His strategic vision for Disney is based on three fundamentals: generating the best creative content possible, fostering innovation and utilizing the latest technology, and expanding into new markets around the world which makes him a great fit for Apple.”

Levinson had served on all three of the board's committees, and will continue to serve on the audit committee following his elevation to chairman. Iger will also serve on the audit committee.

Disney and Apple have a relatively close relationship given that Disney had purchased Pixar back in 2006 when it was owned by Steve Jobs. Jobs had subsequently served on Disney's board of directors and was the company's largest individual shareholder.

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00 am PDT by
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June. According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments...

Top Rated Comments

3N16MA Avatar
176 months ago
Maybe...

DIS Mkt cap 64.23B


AAPL Mkt cap 361.38B

https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AAAPL

https://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE%3ADIS

I think they can afford it:D
Apple's Market Cap has nothing to do with whether they can afford to acquire Disney.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nothlit Avatar
176 months ago
So after Steve's death all this dude's done is change the company all over. I'd be kinda pissed if I owned stock. Comment doesn't really relate to this event, just that we keep seeing these stories again and again.

If you read the Steve Jobs biography you'd know that he really respected both Levinson and Iger. Steve was the largest shareholder of Disney, and worked directly with Iger to facilitate Disney's purchase of Pixar in 2006. So to imply that making Levinson chairman and adding Iger to the board are things that Steve would have disagreed with is just wrong.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slrandall Avatar
176 months ago
From what I read about him in Steve's bio, Art's a great guy. Glad to see this happen.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
visim91 Avatar
176 months ago
Steve's dead. He's nothing.

If you meant "Steve wasn't an idiot", then say that.




Well, if the rumoured "even thinner" 15" MacBook comes with an external USB 3.0 Blu-ray Disc burner - then we'll know that Tim got the message.

If it's a bigger MacBook Air, Tim didn't get the message.

The world beyond the end of your nose must be a deeply confusing, troubling place for you.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EssentialParado Avatar
176 months ago
Great move on both counts. Bolster's faith in a post-Steve Apple future.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheQuestion Avatar
176 months ago
It is clear to me after nearly completing his bio, that this is exactly the type of thing Steve would want for his baby.

Good choice.

Now how long until Jony Ive takes over?

I don't think you will ever see Ive take over as Apple's CEO. Even though Steve called him a soulmate of sorts in his bio, Ive has shunned the spotlight and shown no inclination that he wants the responsibility of being a CEO. He's also too nice a guy. I think Scott Forstall would be more a likely candidate after Cook. He appears to have the right mix of genius, tyrant and a****** to be the next Steve. Before anyone flames me for insinuating Steve is a sphincter, Steve admits it several times in Isaacson's bio. It's part of the recipe for success.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)