Disney CSBD
Hey everyone,
I’m curious if anyone here has experience with or insight into Disney’s Corporate Strategy and Business Development (CSBD) group. There hasn’t been any updated info in a few years. Is this still considered a top corp dev group? How have exits been recently? Thanks!
Disney's Corporate Strategy and Business Development (CSBD) group is widely regarded as a top-tier corporate development team. Historically, it has been known for its strong reputation, competitive recruiting process, and excellent exit opportunities. The group typically attracts talent from top schools, including Ivy League institutions and UCLA, and is considered a prestigious destination for ex-consultants and ex-bankers.
The CSBD group primarily focuses on M&A and corporate-level strategic opportunities. It was previously known as "Strategic Planning" under Mike Eisner, a team that played a significant role in Disney's resource allocation and produced many Disney executives. Under Bob Iger's leadership, the group transitioned to CSBD, narrowing its scope to M&A and high-level strategy. Currently, the M&A team reports into the CFO.
In terms of exits, Disney's CSBD group has been a strong platform for transitioning to other high-profile roles. Alumni often move into senior leadership positions within Disney or other companies, such as CFO or COO tracks. Additionally, the group is considered a solid stepping stone for transitioning to private equity, venture capital, or other buy-side roles. While specific recent updates on exits aren't detailed, the group's historical prestige and structure suggest it remains a strong player in corporate development.
Sources: Examples of Internal Consulting Groups, Differentiating Corp Dev / Corp Fin @ Disney, Disney Corporate Strategy / Corporate Finance / Decision Support?
Bump
I used to work for Disney in a strategy/M&A function post-IB - the work is interesting, but the pay and benefits at Disney are terrible (especially for LA), because there is a line out the door of people that will work there for the prestige/nostalgic value. People that work there are very, very liberal as well and it influences the corporate culture. Company keeps putting out content nobody wants to see with some rare exceptions, and its bottom line is mostly carried by the parks, products and experiences line. Culture is extremely hierarchical. WLB was pretty good though. I would only recommend it if you absolutely LOVE Disney and can't see yourself being happy somewhere else. Netflix, Tech, Big Oil, Healthcare corp dev all pay a lot more.
Thank you, I appreciate the insight. What’s your opinion on the role as someone early on in their career? Will this be good experience or launching point in Media, entertainment or tech?
The Disney brand name goes a long way. I run my own business now, and I think the Disney name has helped me more than my IB/Consulting and Target School name. Disney can be a good place to start, as I mentioned, the pay is pretty subpar for LA especially, and it remains that way until you get into senior roles (and you get there based on office politics, internal promotions at Disney beyond the Manager role as very, very rare). So starting a career there? Decent move. Long-term career? I’d advise against.
Also, keep in mind that media is a super niche industry so exiting is a bit hard. Media/sports broadly speaking pays pretty bad. Most people exit after a year or 2 once the luster of the work starts to wear off. You’d usually have to go MBA to get into a different industry. Disney does place well for MBA though.
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