Disney announced the creation of a new chief technology officer position and named Karandeep Anand to fill the role, effective Oct. 2. The appointment marks the first time the media company has established a dedicated CTO position within its executive ranks. Anand will serve as senior executive vice president and report directly to CEO Josh D’Amaro, with responsibility for enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and artificial intelligence platforms, as well as product and engineering functions across Disney’s operations.
The leadership move aligns with D’Amaro’s strategic priorities since assuming the CEO role several months earlier. D’Amaro has emphasized the importance of modernizing Disney’s technological capabilities to support all business segments, particularly streaming and parks operations. In his statement announcing the hire, D’Amaro highlighted Anand’s background in infrastructure, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence, describing him as a vital addition to the company’s senior leadership team.
Anand arrives at Disney from Character.AI, where he served as CEO and oversaw the platform’s growth as a consumer-facing artificial intelligence service. During his tenure, he built what the company described as one of the most engaged consumer-AI audiences while prioritizing user trust and safety. Anand has also held previous positions at financial technology firm Brex and worked at Meta’s Facebook division. Disney indicated it would also be hiring additional technical team members from Character.AI.
The appointment comes as Disney pursues an integrated technology strategy centered on streaming expansion. The company is exploring ad-supported tiers for Disney+ and plans to integrate shopping capabilities with its streaming service. At an investor conference earlier in the month, Disney’s CFO described the vision as an “integrated ecosystem” that would combine television and film content with consumer products, parks and cruises, and interactive experiences with Disney’s intellectual property portfolio, including gaming opportunities. Further details about these initiatives are expected in the spring.
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