Kevin Mayer, who chaired the launch of the Disney + online video platform, is leaving Walt Disney to take over the management of TikTok, the very popular video application belonging to the Chinese company Bytedance Technology, the two companies announced on Monday.
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Mayer headed the Direct-to-Consumer & International division. As such, he was on the front line in the launch last November of Disney +, competitor of Netflix. In five months, Disney + has attracted more than 50 million subscribers worldwide.
The general management of the company refused
But last February, Kevin Mayer did not obtain the general management of the company, the board of directors having preferred him Bob Chapek, who directed the Parks, Experiences and Products division of Disney, to succeed Bob Iger and become the seventh CEO of the company in almost 100 years of existence.
TikTok, which Mayer is going to direct, is an application allowing to create short videos with great reinforcement of special effects. It is particularly popular with adolescents. At Disney, Rebecca Campbell succeeds Kevin Mayer.