The Walt Disney Company has appointed Indian-origin technology executive Karandeep Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer. Anand will step into the newly created role on October 2 and report directly to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.
Anand will join Disney as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, with oversight of the company’s enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and AI platforms, and product and engineering teams. The appointment highlights Disney’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and digital experiences across the entertainment industry.
Who Is Karandeep Anand?
Anand studied computer science at the International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad and completed marketing training at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He began his career as an intern at Microsoft and spent more than 15 years at the company, leaving as director of product management. He later worked at Meta for more than six years before joining fintech company Brex. Most recently, Anand served as CEO of Character.AI for nearly two years before accepting the Disney role.
Anand also said on LinkedIn that members of Character.AI’s technical team are expected to join him at Disney.
What the Appointment Means for Disney
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said Anand brings “a rare mix of experience across infrastructure, consumer technology and AI” and called him a vital addition to Disney’s senior leadership team. He tied the appointment to three company priorities: great storytelling, technology in service of creativity, and operating as One Disney.
Anand said he looks forward to building on Disney’s technology capabilities and helping the company connect fans with its stories and characters through new experiences.