June 30--The Walt Disney Co. has tapped Treasurer Christine McCarthy to be its new chief financial officer.
McCarthy, a 15-year veteran of the Burbank entertainment giant, is Disney's first female CFO.
She replaces Jay Rasulo, who earlier this year was passed over for the company's No. 2 job. Disney said on June 1 that he would step down from his post at the end of the month.
McCarthy, 60, begins her tenure as CFO effective immediately, Disney said in a statement. She reports to Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Iger.
In a statement, Iger praised McCarthy's "keen financial acumen."
"She is highly respected in the finance sector, and in this new role she will have even more impact on creating value for Disney shareholders," he said.
McCarthy began working for Disney in 2000; most recently she served as treasurer and executive vice president of corporate real estate and alliances.
"I am humbled and honored to be entrusted with the role of CFO of this incredibly dynamic company," McCarthy said in a statement.
Also effective immediately, Disney has named longtime company executive Kevin Mayer to the post of senior executive vice president and chief strategy officer. After Rasulo's impending departure was announced earlier this month, some Disney watchers said that Mayer could be considered for the CFO post.
Since 2005, he had served as executive vice president of corporate strategy and business development.
It was expected that Rasulo would leave Disney after the company chose rival Thomas Staggs -- the former head of the company's parks and resorts division -- to be chief operating officer in February.
Rasulo and Staggs had competed for that coveted job, which is widely seen as a grooming post for the company's next CEO.
Iger, 64, is expected to retire when his contract expires in 2018.
