# Bob Chapek's Disney Firing: His Side of the Story > In a new memoir, the ousted Disney CEO claims Bob Iger orchestrated a three-year campaign to push him out. - Title: Bob Chapek's Disney Firing: His Side of the Story | Shortify - Summary: In a new memoir, the ousted Disney CEO claims Bob Iger orchestrated a three-year campaign to push him out. Chapek believes Iger regretted naming him… - Keywords: bob chapek, bob iger, disney, ceo firing, memoir, corporate power struggle, executive chairman, streaming strategy, covid pandemic, don't say gay bill, fox acquisition, disney board - Source: Vanity Fair — https://vanityfair.com/story/bob-chapek-memoir-bob-iger - Author: Bob Chapek - Published: 2026-09-24T12:38:17.536+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: bob chapek, bob iger, disney, ceo firing, memoir, corporate power struggle, executive chairman, streaming strategy, covid pandemic, don't say gay bill, fox acquisition, disney board ## Fired by phone call Chapek was told goodbye over the phone with no option to resign, fired on a Sunday right before a major company event. > Just like that, I was told goodbye. They didn't even give me the option of resigning. ## Chapek blames Iger's regret Chapek believes Iger regretted appointing him CEO from day one and launched a relentless three-year campaign to force him out. > From the moment he announced my appointment, he clearly regretted it and seemed to initiate a relentless three-year campaign to push me out. ## Iger's retirement party snub At Iger's retirement party, he made a snide remark about Chapek's Indiana background in front of Hollywood elites, then abruptly ended his speech without mentioning his successor. > Bob, that's where you're from, isn't it? ## Scheduled conflict or sabotage Iger scheduled his retirement party on the same day as a fan convention where Chapek was supposed to announce new initiatives, forcing him to choose. ## Iger's public undermining During the pandemic, Iger repeatedly implied he could do better as CEO and interjected himself publicly in ways that backfired on Chapek. ## The Don't Say Gay controversy Iger appeared to actively work against Chapek during the company's response to Florida's Don't Say Gay bill while Chapek was managing pandemic debt. ## Streaming strategy battles As Chapek pushed bold streaming strategies to transform Disney into a streaming powerhouse, Iger fueled an ego-driven power struggle against him. ## Iger's private regret Iger told people that naming Chapek his successor was one of the worst decisions he'd ever made, then worked to undermine him at every step. > Iger told people that naming me his successor was one of the worst decisions he'd ever made, and he returned to the top by working against me every step of the way. ## Board became complicit Chapek believes Disney's board eventually became complicit in Iger's campaign to remove him from the CEO position. ## The gold coin gesture When Iger officially retired from the board, Chapek commissioned a gold Disney coin for Iger's new sailing yacht as a parting gift. ## A moment of connection When Chapek presented the coin, Iger was genuinely moved and his expression softened, creating a brief moment of human connection between them. ## Back to undermining After that moment, Chapek returned to running the company while believing Iger went back to working to get him fired. > After that moment passed, I went back to running the company, and I believe he went back to trying to get me fired. ## Iger eventually succeeded Iger's campaign to remove Chapek ultimately succeeded with his abrupt firing, which Chapek says happened without cause. > He would, of course, eventually succeed. ## Reputation left in question Chapek's abrupt dismissal left his reputation damaged, with outsiders and insiders unsure what he had done wrong. ## Chapek claims innocence Chapek insists he did nothing wrong and has lived an impeccable life with no scandals to uncover. > The answer, again, is nothing. ## Thirty years of service Over three decades at Disney, Chapek worked hard, pushed innovation, and delivered record-breaking results across every business he ran. ## Brief but proud tenure Though his time as CEO was short, Chapek says he made an indelible mark on Disney and is proud of what he accomplished. > I did make it to the top of the castle, just like I said I would when I was twenty. ## Why he's telling his story Chapek wrote his memoir to set the record straight and quiet the dissonance between his thirty-year track record and his sudden firing. ## Still loves Disney Despite everything, Chapek says he's not angry or bitter at Disney and still loves the company and its ideals. > I'm not angry or bitter at Disney. I love Disney, the ideals it supposedly stands for, and all but a handful of the people who work there. ## Key takeaway Chapek believes Iger regretted naming him successor and systematically undermined him until his abrupt firing, while Chapek insists he did nothing wrong.