Paul Richardson Named Chief Human Resources Officer of The Walt Disney Company, Effective July 1
April 29 2021 - 1:30PM
Business Wire
Paul Richardson has been named Senior Executive Vice President
and Chief Human Resources Officer of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:
DIS), effective July 1, it was announced today by Bob Chapek, Chief
Executive Officer. Mr. Richardson, who is currently Senior Vice
President, Human Resources for ESPN and was Disney’s first Chief
Diversity Officer, will succeed longtime veteran Jayne Parker, who
previously announced she is leaving the Company at the end of June
after a 33-year career at Disney and will work closely with Mr.
Richardson during the transition.
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Paul Richardson (Photo: Business
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As Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr. Richardson will report
directly to Mr. Chapek and will be responsible for leading Disney's
human resources strategy, global talent acquisition, leadership
development, diversity and inclusion, organizational design and
cultural development, employee education and development,
compensation and benefits, HR operations and technology, employee
relations, and global security.
“Paul Richardson is a supremely talented, strategic and
personable leader with a deep passion for enriching the employee
experience by championing the unique talents and perspectives of
our diverse, global workforce,” Mr. Chapek said. “I can think of no
one better suited than Paul to build on the incredible work of
Jayne Parker, who in 12 years leading Disney’s Human Resources
function has had an indelible impact on the company, fostering a
culture that has attracted and developed the industry’s best
creative talent and most accomplished business leaders.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be named to this role, and I want
to thank Bob for the amazing opportunity and Jayne for her
mentorship and friendship over these many years,” Mr. Richardson
said. “Our employees and Cast Members are absolutely key to
Disney’s success, and their exceptional talent, ingenuity, diverse
backgrounds and experiences, and deep sense of commitment even in
the most trying times are truly an inspiration. I look forward to
supporting them and working with our HR leaders around the world as
we advance the Company’s ambitious business goals and further
cement Disney’s well-earned reputation as one of the most desirable
places to work.”
In his current role leading human resources at ESPN, which he
has held since 2007, Mr. Richardson supports 50 different business
units and approximately 5,000 employees around the world. In
addition to serving as a member of the ESPN Board of Directors and
Executive Committee, he oversees ESPN’s Corporate Citizenship team,
which is responsible for strategic community investments, cause
marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and
employee volunteerism, as well as worldwide Global Security &
Facilities Operations.
Mr. Richardson also served as the first chief diversity officer
for The Walt Disney Company from 2011 to 2017, partnering with
diversity leaders across Disney’s business segments to define and
implement global D&I strategies. He launched numerous programs
and initiatives, including Disney’s signature Heroes Work Here
program, through which the Company has employed 10,000 veterans,
and its Veterans Institute workshops for employers looking to
establish their own military hiring and development programs; the
Global Workplace & Women’s Initiative program; and a growth
initiative targeting US Hispanics. Under his direction and
leadership, ESPN has also launched several diversity initiatives
including a Women’s Leadership Conference, nine Employee Resource
Groups and an Executive Diversity Council. In 2019, he initiated
Disney’s Black Employee & Consumer Experience, focused on
increasing Black employee representation, enhancing development
opportunities for Black executives, and finding ways to make the
Company’s content and products even more relevant to consumers.
Mr. Richardson began his career as an attorney before
transitioning to the human resources field. Prior to joining ESPN,
Mr. Richardson served as Executive Vice President, Global Human
Resources at Universal McCann; Senior Vice President, Human
Resources, for Paramount Pictures Corp.; and Vice President, Human
Resources, at Bowne & Company in Los Angeles. He also spent
more than 10 years at The Times Mirror Company, former parent
company of the Los Angeles Times, where he held HR and legal roles
and served as a key member of executive management.
He received a NAMIC (National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in
Communications) Luminary Award in 2010, and CableFAX: The Magazine
named him to its Most Influential Minorities in Cable list from
2010 to 2020. Mr. Richardson has served as an advisor to the
California State Summer School of the Arts and as a board member of
the Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association
(CTHRA). He is currently a member of the USC Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism Board of Councilors.
Mr. Richardson received both a Bachelor of Arts degree in
political science and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of
Southern California.
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Zenia Mucha Corporate Communications zenia.mucha@disney.com
(818) 560-5300
David Jefferson Corporate Communications
david.j.jefferson@disney.com (818) 560-4832
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