Kareem Daniel
{{Promotional tone|article's "Career" section|date=February 2024}}
{{Short description|Walt Disney Company executive from 2020 to 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kareem Daniel
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1974
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
| education = Stanford University (BS)
Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA)
| occupation = American business executive
| employer = The Walt Disney Company (2006–2022)
| title = Chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (2020–2022)
| boards = McDonald's
}}
Kareem Daniel is an American businessman and former media executive at The Walt Disney Company. During his tenure at Disney, he held executive roles in charge of film and television, sports, streaming, theme parks, and consumer products.{{Cite news |last=Sperling |first=Nicole |date=October 12, 2020 |title=Disney Reorganization Puts a Sharper Focus on Streaming |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/business/media/disney-streaming-reorganization.html |access-date=October 14, 2020}}{{Cite web |last1=Huston |first1=Caitlin |date=November 21, 2022 |title=Kareem Daniel to Exit Disney as Bob Iger Unwinds Chapek Era Structure |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kareem-daniel-to-exit-disney-1235267322/ |access-date=November 21, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Prior to Disney, Daniel worked in equity research and investment banking at Goldman Sachs, having begun his career as an electrical engineer. He is also on the board of directors for McDonald's.
Early life and education
Kareem Daniel grew up in Chicago.{{Cite web |last=Faughnder |first=Ryan |date=2022-12-02 |title=Kareem Daniel and the rise and fall of the Disney executive who helped define the Bob Chapek era |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-12-02/kareem-daniel-and-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-disney-executive-who-helped-define-the-bob-chapek-era |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} He attended Morgan Park Academy and went on to earn both a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from Stanford University.{{Cite web |date=May 2, 2017 |title=Alumni Spotlight: Kareem Daniel '92 – Pre-K to 12th Grade | Private School Chicago |url=https://www.morganparkacademy.org/2017/alumni-spotlight-kareem-daniel-92/ |access-date=October 11, 2020 |website=morganparkacademy.org}}
Career
After working as a computer programmer during the dot-com boom,{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2023-03-27 |title=Daniel '92 Named Commencement Speaker |url=https://www.morganparkacademy.org/2023/daniel-92-named-commencement-speaker/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Morgan Park Academy |language=en-US}} Daniel enrolled in business school. His interest in film led him to pursue a career in the entertainment industry,{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Brooks |date=2022-06-27 |title=The Former Electrical Engineer Leading Disney's Streaming Strategy |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/27/business/media/kareem-daniel-disney.html |access-date=2023-01-30 |issn=0362-4331}} and he interned at The Walt Disney Company while in business school. Upon graduation, he took a full-time position at Disney. He then worked in equity research and investment banking at Goldman Sachs from 2004 to 2007.{{Cite web |last=Eriksen |first=Kaare |date=2014-10-07 |title=Kareem Daniel |url=https://variety.com/exec/kareem-daniel/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Variety |language=en}}
After returning to Disney in 2007, he held executive roles in Disney Corporate Strategy, Walt Disney Studios, and Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.{{Cite web |title=Kareem Daniel | Disney Parks, Experiences and Products |url=https://dpep.disney.com/leaders/kareem-daniel/ |access-date=October 11, 2020 |website=dpep.disney.com |archive-date=August 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810154958/https://dpep.disney.com/leaders/kareem-daniel/ |url-status=dead }} He played a key role in various business initiatives, as well as mergers and acquisitions like the 2009 acquisition of Marvel,{{Cite news |date=2020-10-13 |title=Disney's Kareem Daniel Rises From Intern to Streaming Czar |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-13/disney-s-kareem-daniel-rises-from-an-intern-to-streaming-czar |access-date=2023-01-30}} and the 2012 Lucasfilm acquisition.{{Cite web |last=Whitten |first=Sarah |title=Meet Kareem Daniel, the head of Disney's new distribution unit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/13/meet-kareem-daniel-the-head-of-disneys-new-distribution-unit.html |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=CNBC |date=October 13, 2020 |language=en}}
In 2017, Daniel moved to Walt Disney Imagineering. In 2019, he was promoted to President of Operations,{{Cite news |title=BREAKING: Walt Disney Imagineering Management Shake-Up for Parks & Resorts |url=https://wdwnt.com/2019/11/breaking-walt-disney-imagineering-management-shake-up-creates-new-roles-new-creative-leaders-for-individual-parks-and-resorts/}} where he was responsible for the design and development of Disney's parks, attractions, resorts and cruises.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-13 |title=Who is Kareem Daniel? Former Disney Intern Given Top Job |url=https://www.newsweek.com/kareem-daniel-former-disney-intern-given-top-job-1538602 |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} During his tenure, areas like Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, Pixar Pier, Avengers Campus and other themed areas were introduced or expanded.
In May 2020, Daniel was named President of Consumer Products, Gaming and Publishing,{{Cite news |title=Disney Taps Two Company Veterans to Head-up Parks and Streaming Businesses |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/disney-names-new-leadership-for-its-parks-and-streaming-service.html}} including the world's largest consumer licensing business, the Disney Store, and Disney's e-commerce shopDisney and videogame business.{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=Harlem World |date=2020-10-12 |title=Kareem Daniel, President, Consumer Products, Games And Publishing And More For Disney |url=https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/kareem-daniel-president-consumer-products-games-and-publishing-and-more-for-disney/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Harlem World Magazine |language=en-US}}
In October 2020, Kareem Daniel was promoted to Chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED), a new division created to oversee Disney's media businesses.{{Cite news |last=Low |first=Elaine |date=October 12, 2020 |title=Disney Reorganizes Content and Distribution Units to Bolster Streaming Businesses |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/walt-disney-structural-reorganization-media-entertainment-business-1234801683/ |access-date=October 14, 2020}} The division combined the company's film, television, streaming, and advertising businesses under his leadership.{{Cite news |title=Disney Says its 'Primary Focus' for Entertainment is Streaming |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/12/disney-reorganizes-to-focus-on-streaming-direct-to-consumer.html}}{{Cite news |date=October 12, 2020 |title=Disney Streamlines As COVID-19 Woes Continue, Creating Single Media and Entertainment Distribution Unit Led By Kareem Daniel |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2020/10/disney-streamlines-covid-19-media-entertainment-distribution-kareem-daniel-1234596028/}}
He managed Disney's advertising and traditional media businesses, including theatrical releases, home entertainment, and television networks such as ESPN, ABC, FX and National Geographic. Daniel was tasked with growing Disney's streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Star+. On November 14, 2021 Daniel inaugurated Disney+ Day, a virtual event intended to promote Disney's streaming services.{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Jill |date=2021-11-12 |title=Disney's Kareem Daniel Says "Momentum Building" Amid Disney+ Day Blitz |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/disney-plus-day-kareem-daniel-stock-price-marvel-star-wars-pixar-1234872848/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} In August 2022, Disney's streaming platforms had 221 million subscribers.{{Cite web |title=Disney overtakes Netflix in the number of streamers |url=https://fortune.com/2022/08/11/netflix-bad-year-just-got-worse-as-disney-passes-it-in-streaming-subscribers/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Fortune |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-11 |title='Stealth mode': how Disney overtook Netflix in streaming wars |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/aug/11/how-disney-overtook-netflix-in-streaming-wars |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} By November 2022, the number of total subscriptions had reached 235 million, exceeding those of rival streaming platform Netflix.{{Cite web |last=Cahillane |first=Mollie |title=Disney Streaming Tops 235 Million Subs, Loses $1.5 Billion |url=https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/disney-streaming-tops-235-million-global-subscribers-loses-1-5-billion/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.adweek.com |date=November 8, 2022 |language=en-US}} Under Daniel, Disney generated $55 billion in revenue from media and entertainment during the 2022 fiscal year.{{Cite web |title=The Walt Disney Company - revenue by operating segment 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/193140/revenue-of-the-walt-disney-company-by-operating-segment/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Statista |language=en}}
In October 2022, Daniel was elected to McDonald's board of directors.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-04 |title=McDonald's appoints Disney exec to its board |url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/mcdonalds-names-disney-exec-kareem-daniel-board |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Crain's Chicago Business |language=en-US}} He exited his role at Walt Disney in November 2022, during the return of Disney CEO Bob Iger.{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2022-11-21 |title=Kareem Daniel Exits Disney As Bob Iger Sets Restructuring Of Media And Entertainment Distribution Division |url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/disney-kareem-daniel-exits-bob-iger-distribution-1235179483/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
In December 2023, Daniel was elected to the Simon & Schuster's board of directors.{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Jill |date=2023-12-07 |title=Kareem Daniel Resurfaces On Simon & Schuster Board, With Former TikTok COO V Pappas |url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/kareem-daniel-v-pappas-simon-and-schusters-board-disney-tiktok-1235656558/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Reception
Daniel's role within Disney made him one of the most influential media executives, and the most senior Black executive, in Hollywood. Several media publications dubbed him the "czar" of Disney's streaming business, and was ranked among "the 10 most powerful people in Hollywood" in 2023.{{Cite web |last=LaPorte |first=Nicole |title=Disney's Mysterious Kareem Daniel |url=https://theankler.com/p/disneys-mysterious-kareem-daniel |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=theankler.com |language=en}} In 2020 and 2021, Daniel was included on Variety's list of the 500 most influential leaders in global media. He was a keynote speaker at Variety's entertainment and technology summit in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Earl |first=William |date=2022-08-10 |title=Disney's Kareem Daniel, Tracee Ellis Ross and Blumhouse's Jason Blum and Abhijay Prakash Join Variety's Entertainment and Technology Summit |url=https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/variety-entertainment-technology-summit-tracee-ellis-ross-kareem-daniel-jason-blum-abhijay-prakash-1235338282/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}