LOS ANGELES _ Kevin Mayer, the chairman of Walt Disney Co.'s streaming business, is leaving the company to run the fast-growing mobile video app TikTok, the company said Monday.
Mayer will become chief executive of TikTok, as well as chief operating officer of its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Mayer has led Disney's direct-to-consumer and international segment since its inception in 2018 and oversaw the successful launches of ESPN+ and Disney+ and the integration of Hulu in Disney's business.
The move comes shortly after Disney selected parks and products chairman Bob Chapek to succeed Bob Iger as its CEO in February. Iger took on the role of executive chairman. Many industry insiders speculated that Mayer, who was a candidate for the top job, would leave the company after the change in leadership.
Prior to his rise as streaming chief, Mayer served as Disney's chief strategy officer and was instrumental in multiple landmark deals, including the acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
Mayer's appointment will bring more legitimacy to TikTok, a fast-growing app owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance. The app has seen a surge in popularity as people shelter in place and look for ways to be entertained during the coronavirus crisis.
TikTok, which recently opened its U.S. headquarters in Culver City, broke a record for the most app downloads in a single quarter in the first three months of 2020, according to San Francisco research firm Sensor Tower. Overall, TikTok logged more than 315 million installs in the first quarter of 2020, up 58% from the previous quarter, Sensor Tower said.
TikTok's China ties have raised concerns about security among some politicians and privacy advocates. For example, branches of the U.S. military have banned their members from having the TikTok app on government issued phones.
