Just days after the announcement that former Disney Resorts president Paul Pressler has left to take a position as president and chief executive officer of Gap Inc., Disney has announced his successor. James A. (Jay) Rasulo, a 17-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company and chairman and chief executive officer of Euro Disney S.C.A. has been promoted to president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide. In his new role, Rasulo, 46, whose appointment will be effective immediately, will oversee the company's theme parks and resorts, the Disney Cruise Line, Disney Regional Entertainment, Walt Disney Imagineering and Anaheim Sports Inc., the management company for Major League Baseball's Anaheim Angels and the NHL's Mighty Ducks. In addition, he will be responsible for the business' long-term growth and international expansion initiatives, including the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Rasulo joined the Walt Disney Company in 1986 in Corporate Strategic Planning where he led strategy development for all real estate-based businesses in The Walt Disney Company portfolio. He was senior vice president of Corporate Alliances from 1993 - 1995, organizing the sponsorship activities into a company wide strategic business unit. Rasulo also spent three years with the Disney Regional Entertainment business where he was part of the development of ESPN Zone. In 1998 he moved to Paris to assume the position of executive vice president, Euro Disney S.C.A. In May of 2000, Rasulo was named Chairman and CEO of Euro Disney, S.C.A. During his tenure at Disneyland Resort Paris, Rasulo oversaw a massive period of real estate development and signed four major hotel deals with European tour operators and hotel chains for the construction of two thousand new hotel rooms on the Euro Disney property and surrounding area. An international search for Rasulo's replacement is under way and in the interim he will continue to oversee Euro Disney operations until a successor is named.
