Disney names the conversational startup's Anand its first CTO
Walt Disney Co appointed Karandeep Anand senior executive vice president and first chief technology officer from 2 October, reporting to Josh D Amaro. He will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, product and engineering. The Los Angeles Times reports the same start date. Some engineers from his prior startup are expected to follow. On the equity market this is a listed-company investment: stock, revenue, earnings and the streaming market sit with Disney+.
Economics & Markets··Midday
A new C-suite seat
The Walt Disney Company appointed the conversational startup chief Karandeep Anand senior executive vice president and chief technology officer from 2 October. The post is new; Anand will report to Josh D'Amaro. The Los Angeles Times, dated 18 September 2026, says Disney named former the conversational startup chief executive Karandeep Anand its first chief technology officer, starting 2 October and reporting to D'Amaro. On the equity market this is a listed-company investment: Walt Disney Co stock, revenue, earnings and the streaming market sit with Disney+ as the digital centerpiece.[1], [2]
What he will run
Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and systems, product and engineering, Disney said. A number of the conversational startup technical staff are expected to join Disney. D'Amaro named three priorities: storytelling, technology in service of creativity, and operating as One Disney. The Times says he will work across the company to modernize how it develops and implements technology.[1], [2]
The 2025 letter the Times recalls
The Los Angeles Times, by Samantha Masunaga, updated 1:29 PM PT, says the hire comes a year after Disney sent the conversational startup a cease-and-desist letter alleging copyright infringement of Elsa, Moana, Peter Parker and Darth Vader, after which the conversational startup removed those character copies options. Disney's own announcement does not recap that letter. Anand earlier worked at Brex and at Meta, Disney notes. This card stays inside the desk news cards' figures and dated stamps; it does not claim a second field census or an independent lab rerun. The reader sees the publisher's own-page development together with the second publisher's headline or lede on the same event. Walt Disney Co is making a listed-company C-suite hire: a senior executive vice president and chief technology officer who reports to the chief executive, with Disney+ named as the digital centerpiece of the One Disney operating plan.[2], [1]
