How Disney’s (DIS) Shanghai Resort Fits Into The Executive Shakeup At The Mouse House

LOS ANGELES — What does Shanghai have to do with the executive turmoil at Disney? Maybe more than you think.

Mouse House observers around the world were stunned when the Walt Disney Co. announced Monday — following a New York Times report — that Chief Operating Officer Thomas Staggs would be resigning from his role effective next month. Staggs was widely presumed to be the heir apparent to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who occupied that same COO role between 2000 and 2005 and is set to retire in 2018.