A former high-ranking Marvel govt claims ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek refused to provide him a promotion as a result of he was simply “another old white guy,” in keeping with a blockbuster lawsuit in opposition to the media big.
Robert Steffens, who served as chief monetary officer after which co-president of Marvel from 2015 to 2023, alleged that then-Marvel CEO Isaac Perlmutter advised him in February 2022 that Disney CEO Bob Chapek put the kibosh on his bid for the position of president of Disney shopper merchandise, in keeping with the go well with filed in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom on Tuesday.
As an alternative, the job was given to a lady of “ambiguous ethnicity” after Perlmutter allegedly advised Steffens that the corporate couldn’t award the place to “another old white guy,” the grievance mentioned.
Chapek was ousted later in 2022 after getting the Home of Mouse embroiled in a battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation — and changed by Bob Iger.
Steffens’ lawsuit claimed that the “woke” media big was engaged in an “official effort to promote vice presidents based on their race and a memorandum that would have referred to employees with the racial signifier ‘BIPOC’ [black, indigenous and people of color].”
Disney’s actions have been “willful, wanton, malicious, intentional, oppressive and despicable and were done in willful and conscious disregard of the rights, welfare and safety of [Steffens],” the lawsuit mentioned.
“Our primary focus is on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend our client’s interests,” Steffens lawyer Marcella Burke advised Fox Information Digital on Thursday.
Perlmutter was fired by Iger in March 2023. The Disney boss survived a proxy combat final yr spearheaded by Perlmutter and activist investor Nelson Peltz.
The lawsuit comes as Disney ditches a few of its variety, fairness and inclusion insurance policies amid stress from activist traders and the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI.
On Monday, Disney shut down its “Reimagine Tomorrow” program, which was used to focus on tales and expertise from underrepresented communities. The initiative promised 50% of standard and recurring characters throughout the Disney universe would come from “underrepresented groups.”
It additionally quietly rolled again different DEI packages this week.
The Reimagine Tomorrow program sparked outrage in 2022 when a company-wide Zoom name was leaked on social media.
On the time, one Disney govt touted her “not at all secret gay agenda,” whereas one other boasted that the corporate was scrubbing the phrases “ladies, gentlemen, boys, and girls” at its theme parks to keep away from alienating transgender kids.
President Trump just lately ordered an finish to DEI within the federal authorities and for its contractors, which incorporates many personal corporations.
In the meantime, corporations are additionally below stress from conservative critics who say DEI packages are discriminatory in opposition to non-minorities.
Corporations resembling Meta and John Deere have rolled again their DEI packages, whereas others like Apple and Costco have pushed again. Google, GM, Intel, Pepsi, Comcast, Philip Morris and others have softened or deleted their DEI language.
The DEI battle can also be being fought within the courtroom.
Final week, Goal was hit with a class-action go well with after shareholders alleged the retail big misled traders concerning the dangers of its DEI initiatives, which led customers to boycott and its inventory value to tank.
