Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger will be receiving The Ad Council’s Award for Public Service at its Public Service Award Dinner on December 5, 2024, at the Glasshouse in New York City.
“Under Bob’s leadership, Disney has continued its longstanding commitment to public service and social impact. Bob is a role model for so many in the industry and we look forward to celebrating his legacy of outstanding corporate citizenship,” said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council.
Iger served as CEO and chairman of The Walt Disney Company from 2005 to 2020, then as executive chairman and chairman of the board before his return as CEO in 2022. During his tenure, he has expanded Disney’s portfolio through strategic acquisitions including Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox. Iger’s management earned Disney recognition as one of Forbes’ “Most Reputable Companies” and Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies.” Recognized as one of the world’s influential business leaders, Iger has received numerous accolades, including being named TIME’s Businessperson of the Year in 2019. He currently serves on the boards of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Under Iger’s leadership, Disney has deepened its relationship with numerous organizations that support the well-being of children, particularly those facing critical illness. In 2018, Iger announced a global commitment of $100 million to help reimagine the patient experience in children’s hospitals, committing a mix of financial support, products and services. Additionally, through Disney’s collaboration with Make-A-Wish, the company has helped grant more than 155,000 life-changing wishes for children since the first wish was granted more than 40 years ago at Disneyland Resort.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Ad Council and I am immensely proud of the positive impact Disney has on people and communities around the world,” said Iger. “Our company, like our storytelling, has always been a force for good. We believe that nothing is more important than supporting the well-being of children, which is why we are so committed to bringing joy and inspiration to those who need it most.”
Bringing together leaders at the intersection of media, marketing, advertising, and technology, the Ad Council’s Annual Public Service Award Dinner is the organization’s largest fundraising event, with the last Annual Dinner in 2023 raising more than $8.1M to support the Ad Council’s national social impact programs.
Previous recipients of the Ad Council’s Award for Public Service include chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase Jamie Dimon, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Verizon chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, former chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson Alex Gorsky, former chairman and CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty, and former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi.
This year’s event will be co-chaired by the chair and vice chair of the Ad Council’s Board of Directors Tara Walpert Levy, VP, Americas at YouTube and Rita Ferro, president, Global Advertising at The Walt Disney Company.
Britain halts criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein won't face charges of indecent assault in Britain, prosecutors announced on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service, which in 2022 authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, said it decided to discontinue proceedings because there was "no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.'' "We have explained our decision to all parties,'' the CPS said in a statement. ''We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met." Meanwhile, there is a chance Weinstein could be facing new criminal charges in New York. At a court conference Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors said they have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury to seek an indictment that could add sexual misconduct allegations involving as many as three more people who say they were victimized by the producer. At the conference, Judge Curtis Farber elicited basic details about the allegations, which date back as far as the mid-2000s and involved incidents at hotels and a private residence. The New York grand jury's term expires on Friday, and a vote on an indictment could happen by the end of the week. It is possible an indictment may not include all three accusers. And it is possible the process could extend beyond this week. Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. After the revelations emerged, British police said they were investigating multiple allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place between the 1980s and 2015. In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized London's Metropolitan Police Service... Read More