Disney announced the appointment of Karandeep Anand to the newly established role of senior executive vice president and chief technology officer, marking the first time the entertainment company has created such a position in its executive leadership structure. Anand, who most recently served as CEO of Character.AI, will assume the role on October 2 and report directly to CEO Josh D’Amaro. The company indicated that Anand will be responsible for overseeing enterprise technology infrastructure, data management, artificial intelligence platforms, and product engineering functions across Disney.
The hire represents an acceleration of Disney’s technology initiatives under D’Amaro’s leadership. Since taking the chief executive position earlier in the year, D’Amaro has prioritized modernizing the company’s technological capabilities and integrating technology as a key driver of growth. In a statement announcing the appointment, D’Amaro emphasized that Anand’s background in infrastructure, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence makes him well-suited to advance the company’s strategic objectives of maintaining strong storytelling, leveraging technology to support creative efforts, and streamlining operations across the organization.
The technology focus extends to Disney’s streaming operations, where the company is pursuing several strategic initiatives. Disney is evaluating the launch of an advertising-supported tier for Disney+, which executives have described as a potential entry point to attract additional subscribers. The company has also indicated plans to integrate shopping capabilities into its Disney+ platform, creating what executives have termed an “integrated ecosystem” that would combine television and film content with consumer products, parks and cruises, and gaming experiences.
Additionally, Disney named Adam Smith as chairman of its direct-to-consumer division for Disney Entertainment on Thursday, further restructuring its leadership to emphasize streaming and digital distribution. The company expects to provide additional details regarding its streaming and commerce integration plans in the spring.
Anand brings experience from multiple technology sectors, having previously worked at financial technology company Brex and holding positions at Meta. During his tenure at Character.AI, a platform enabling users to create and interact with character-based chatbots, Anand overseeing significant growth while prioritizing user safety and trust. Disney is also bringing on additional technical staff members from Character.AI’s team as part of the transition.
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