Louise Pentland was named chief counsel for the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment of The Walt Disney Company, effective Sept. 15.
Pentland previously served as chief business affairs and legal officer at PayPal. She was responsible for the company’s global legal, communications, intellectual property, government relations, people and social innovation functions.
Prior to PayPal, Pentland was executive vice president and chief legal officer at Nokia.
“Louise Pentland is a highly accomplished legal executive with more than two decades of experience serving at the highest levels of innovative global companies,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Disney’s senior executive vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer.
“Her broad expertise working with complex business, regulatory and compliance matters around the world and her track record as an exemplary leader make her a superb addition to the leadership team at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products,” Gutierrez said in a Disney press release.
At Disney, Pentland will report to Gutierrez. She will also act as a strategic advisor to Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and his executive leadership team.
In her new role, Pentland will oversee all legal and regulatory matters for her segment’s businesses, including six theme park-resort destinations in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Other businesses under her umbrella include a cruise line, the shopDisney e-commerce platform and a children’s print publisher.
“I’ve long admired Disney Parks’ reputation as a global leader in tourism and consumer products, along with its exceptional history of innovation and growth, and I’m looking forward to taking on this role and helping advance the organization’s ambitious goals for the future,” Pentland said in a statement.
Increased investment
Pentland joins Disney at a time in which the company plans to accelerate investment in its Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment.
The company announced Tuesday that it will support that segment by spending approximately $60 billion in the next decade, including investment to expand and enhance domestic and international parks and cruise line capacity.
This would be nearly double the investment compared to the prior 10-year period, Disney said in a filing with the SEC.
Legal fight
Pentland also starts at Disney amid its legal battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials that could complicate its long-term plans in the state.
In a federal lawsuit, Disney has alleged DeSantis and the governing board now overseeing the local jurisdiction of Walt Disney World retaliated against the company for its opposition to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill that is now law in Florida.
DeSantis has called Disney’s remaining First Amendment claim “bogus,” and the other defendants have also denied the allegations.
Prior to the lawsuit, Disney said it planned to invest more than $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next decade.
Amid the feud, Disney announced earlier this year that it was scrapping plans to build a $1 billion office complex in Florida.
D’Amaro, the Disney Parks leader, told employees in a staff memo that “changing business conditions” were a reason for the decision, The New York Times reported.
