TikTok appoints ex-Disney executive as new CEO

TikTok, the popular short-video app has appointed Kevin Mayer as the new CEO. 

Mayer will also be the Chief Operating Officer of TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and report to its founder and CEO, Yiming Zhang, the company announced Monday.

Mayer has previously led Disney's streaming business and was known for his role in building Disney through mergers, including the industry-changing 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox's TV and film business that created an entertainment behemoth.

"Like everyone else, I've been impressed watching the company build something incredibly rare in TikTok - a creative, positive online global community -- and I'm excited to help lead the next phase of ByteDance's journey as the company continues to expand its breadth of products across every region of the world," Mayer said in a statement.

Mayer left Disney a few months after the entertainment giant named a longtime executive, Bob Chapek, to replace the well-regarded CEO Bob Iger. Mayer had been regarded as a possible Iger successor.

Disney has also announced that Rebecca Campbell, another Disney veteran, will succeed Mayer as the Chairman of the streaming and international business, and also announced Josh D'Amaro, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, as the successor to Chapek's old job as head of parks, experiences and products.

On his appointment, Yiming shares, “Kevin’s wealth of experience building successful global businesses makes him an outstanding fit for our mission of inspiring creativity for users globally. As one of the world’s most accomplished entertainment executives, Kevin is incredibly well placed to take ByteDance’s portfolio of products to the next level. I look forward to working very closely with Kevin on our global development and the next chapter of the ByteDance story.” 

Image Credit: The Verge