Walt Disney Co. has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first-ever chief technology officer, effective October 2, marking a strategic shift toward integrating technology across the company’s operations. Anand, who will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro, will oversee enterprise technology, AI platforms, data, infrastructure, product, and engineering across Disney’s business segments.
The appointment comes as part of D’Amaro’s broader initiative to modernize Disney’s technology infrastructure and align its divisions under a unified strategy. Disney described Anand as bringing a “rare mix of experience across infrastructure, consumer technology, and AI.”
Anand’s Background and Transition
Before joining Character.AI as CEO, Anand held senior leadership roles at Meta (Facebook), Microsoft (where he helped build Azure), and Brex. His hiring follows his tenure at Character.AI, an AI chatbot startup that Disney previously issued a cease-and-desist letter in September 2025 for unauthorized use of Disney’s copyrighted characters in AI-generated content. Character.AI complied with the request, removing Disney’s characters from its platform.
A number of Character.AI’s technical staff are expected to join Disney alongside Anand, though the exact scope of the transition remains undisclosed.
Disney’s Leadership Shakeup
The announcement follows a series of executive moves by D’Amaro to streamline Disney’s operations. On Thursday, Disney named Adam Smith chairman of its streaming business, overseeing platforms like Disney+ and Hulu, and appointed Joe Earley to a new role as president of franchise and content strategy for Disney’s Entertainment TV division.
D’Amaro, who took over as CEO in March 2024, has emphasized technology as a core pillar of Disney’s growth, particularly in advancing its direct-to-consumer strategy and streaming platforms. The company has explored expanding Disney+ with an ad-supported tier to attract broader audiences.
Role and Responsibilities
In his new position, Anand will lead efforts to modernize Disney’s technology stack, including AI-driven platforms and enterprise systems. Disney framed the hire as part of its "One Disney" initiative, which aims to unify the company’s disparate divisions under a cohesive technological and operational framework.
D’Amaro stated in a company memo that Anand’s expertise would help Disney “further modernize how we build and deliver technology company-wide.”