Bob Iger is an American businessman who served as the CEO and Chairman of The Walt Disney Company from 2005 to 2020. According to the Celebrity Net Worth, Bob Iger is one of the wealthiest and most influential executives, with an estimated net worth of around $350 million.
Bob Iger Net Worth
Bob Iger has accumulated immense wealth through his long and successful career as an entertainment executive. He received millions in salary as CEO of Disney from 2005 to 2020, along with stock awards and bonuses that significantly grew his net worth each year.
According to Bloomberg, Bob Iger has an estimated net worth of around $350 million as of 2024. Most of his net worth comes from the value of his Disney stock. Iger reportedly owns about 1.3 million Disney shares worth over $600 million at current market prices.
Iger’s annual compensation peaked in 2018 when he made $65.6 million as Disney CEO. That included a salary of $2.87 million, stock awards worth $35.4 million, and non-equity incentive plan compensation of $20.3 million.
Early Life and Education
Robert Allen Iger was born on February 10, 1951, in New York City. He grew up in the Long Island town of Oceanside, New York. His father, Arthur Iger, was a World War II veteran who served as a Navy lieutenant. His mother, Mimi Iger, was a homemaker.
Iger attended the Fulton Avenue School and graduated from Oceanside High School in 1969. He was active in sports during high school, playing the drums in the band and serving as the baseball team captain his senior year.
After high school, Iger enrolled at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. He graduated magna cum laude in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Television and Radio from the Roy H. Park School of Communications. During his time at Ithaca, he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
Early Career Beginnings
After graduating from college, Iger took an entry-level job as a studio supervisor at ABC in New York City. He dreamed of becoming an anchor while in college but took the behind-the-scenes job to get his foot in the door of the broadcasting industry.
Iger quickly increased the ranks at ABC, transitioning to roles as a sports producer and later as a production assistant for news programming. His bosses at ABC noticed his ambition and work ethic and promoted him several times during the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1986, Iger made his name as the head of ABC Entertainment. He was responsible for programming across the ABC network and managing shows like Dynasty, Moonlighting, and The Wonder Years. Under Iger’s leadership, ABC became the most-watched television network in the US.
Leadership of Capital Cities/ABC
Disney acquired Capital Cities/ABC in a $19 billion deal in 1994. Iger made his name as president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC as part of the acquisition. He was also appointed to Disney’s board of directors.
As president of the new subsidiary, Iger oversaw the merger of the ABC Television Network, ABC Radio Networks, seven local TV stations, 21 radio stations, and publishing and cable television assets. The new division was rebranded as ABC Group.
Iger strategically decided to sell various assets not part of Disney and ABC’s core business, including a chain of newspapers and radio stations. He invested funds from asset sales into core assets like the ABC Network. However, his leadership turned ABC Group into a significant driver of profits for Disney.
CEO and Chairman of Disney
Iger was officially named President of Walt Disney International in early 2000. He served in this role for a few years before being appointed CEO in 2005.
As CEO of Disney, Iger orchestrated some of the most significant acquisitions in the entertainment industry. He oversaw the Pixar Animation Studios purchase in 2006 for $7.4 billion. Iger also spearheaded the acquisition of Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for $4 billion and Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4 billion.
Some of Iger’s significant achievements as CEO include:
- Disney’s overall revenue during his tenure doubled from $31 billion in 2005 to $69 billion in 2019.
- Quadrupling Disney’s market capitalization value to nearly $260 billion, establishing it as the world’s largest media company.
- Championing the expansion of the Disney theme park empire, including the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in China.
- Pioneering Disney’s move into the streaming era with the launch of the Disney+ platform to compete with Netflix and Amazon.
- Restoring profitability to the ABC broadcast network through popular shows like Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Iger stepped down as CEO in February 2020 after 15 years in the role but remained as Executive Chairman to help guide Disney through the leadership transition. He retired from Disney entirely at the end of 2021.
Sources of Income
The primary source fueling Bob Iger’s massive net worth is his long tenure as CEO and Chairman of Disney. Iger earned enormous yearly compensation packages consisting of multi-million dollar salaries, bonuses, and performance-based stock awards.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Iger made over $44 million in 2015 as Chairman and CEO of Disney. However, that included a $2.5 million salary, $22.3 million in stock awards, and $17.3 million in option awards.
In fiscal year 2018, Iger earned $65.6 million in total compensation from Disney, his peak earnings. Also, this made him the second-highest-paid CEO that year, behind only Tesla’s Elon Musk.
Over his 15 years leading Disney from 2005 to 2019, Iger earned around $962 million in total compensation. The bulk of this compensation was in the form of stocks, highlighting how Disney’s soaring growth during Iger’s tenure exponentially increased his net worth.
Business Ventures
Bob Iger has been involved in various other business ventures and startups.
Iger is co-founder of Big Rock Partners, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology companies. Big Rock has invested in startups such as referral service Grapevine6 and eSports tournament platform Mission Control.
Along with billionaire businessman Mark Walter, Iger is an investor and board member of DAZN Group, a global live sports streaming platform. Iger helped guide DAZN’s multi-billion dollar partnerships with the NFL, MLB, and other major sports leagues.
Iger also serves as a board member of Apple, leveraging his media experience to advise the tech giant as it expands into original content and streaming. He joined the Apple board shortly after Disney acquired Pixar.
Personal Life
Bob Iger has been married twice. He married TV news anchor Willow Bay in 1995. Willow Bay served as a correspondent for NBC’s Today and MSNBC shows. She and Iger have two children together.
Iger was previously married to news anchor Susan Iger in 1986. They had no children and divorced in 1994.
In politics, Iger identifies as a Democrat and supported Hillary Clinton’s presidential run in 2016. He seriously considered running for US president as a Democrat in 2020 but ultimately decided against it.
Iger is a longtime supporter of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in NYC. However, he joined the museum’s board of directors in June 2013.
FAQs on Bob Iger Net Worth
How did Bob Iger become CEO of Disney?
Bob Iger worked his way up at ABC for over 20 years before Disney acquired the network in 1996.
What are Bob Iger’s biggest accomplishments as Disney CEO?
As CEO, Iger spearheaded the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. He also oversaw the expansion of Disney theme parks and the development of the Disney+ streaming platform.
How much did Bob Iger make as Disney CEO?
Iger earned over $962 million in compensation as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2019. His peak compensation was $65.6 million in 2018.
What is Bob Iger doing after stepping down as Disney CEO?
After retiring as Executive Chairman in 2021, Iger joined the board of Apple and became chairman of Randall Stephenson’s new investment firm.
Bottom Line
Bob Iger was one of entertainment’s most transformative and successful executives. His shrewd business instincts and talent for building partnerships led Disney to unprecedented growth and global expansion of its iconic brands.
Though Iger has retired from Disney, his legacy and business playbook will influence the company for years. With his extensive career achievements and net worth estimated at around $350 million, Iger cements his status as an entertainment titan.
