John E. Pepper Jr. to become new non-executive chairman of The Walt Disney

Walt Disney has announced that former Procter & Gamble Chairman and Chief Executive John E. Pepper Jr. would become their non-executive chairman in January next year.

He would be taking over from former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell.

Pepper is already a member of the Disney board and Mitchell was asked in December last year to remain as chairman of the company till the company could find a replacement.

This news means that Apple CEO Steve Jobs would continue to play a minor role in the company. Market analysts had predicted that Jobs would be given a more prominent role at Disney after the company acquired Pixar sometime back.

Jobs is already the biggest stockholder in the entertainment giant and a member of the Disney board. This might be good news for the Apple fans who feared that Jobs would be distracted from his work at the computer company.

Popularity: 6% [?]