Leslie Ferraro, formerly an executive vice president in the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division, has been named president of Disney Consumer Products, effective immediately.

Ferraro fills the role left vacant by former DCP head Bob Chapek, who was named chairman of the Parks and Resorts division in February. Chapek took over from former Parks and Resorts chairman Thomas Staggs, who was made chief operating officer of the Walt Disney Company earlier that same month, making him the presumptive successor to eventually fill Bob Iger's role as company CEO and chairman.

Ferraro's appointment is in line with a larger company trend that sees high-level executives move between divisions, in particular Parks and Resorts and DCP, in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the company's business.

This same kind of executive shuffling was seen between now COO Staggs and current chief financial officer Jay Rasulo, who swapped jobs in 2010 (Staggs was CFO at the time and Rasulo was head of Parks and Resorts) so that both could gain more experience.

“Leslie is a highly talented, proven executive with a strong track record of creativity and innovation,” says Iger. “Having managed worldwide marketing and sales for one of our largest businesses, she brings a global perspective and deep knowledge of the company and its brands to her new position.”

Disney Consumer Products is the world's largest licensor, bringing in $46.2 billion dollars in retail sales of licensed merchandise in 2014, as reported in the exclusive License! Global's Top 150 Global Licensors report.

A 16-year Disney veteran, Ferraro previously served as EVP of global marketing sales and travel operations in the Parks and Resorts division, where she was responsible for leading the marketing and sales teams in developing consumer campaigns worldwide.

She joined Disney in 1999 as director of marketing for Theme Parks and Resorts and went on to hold a variety of marketing leadership positions including senior vice president of global marketing strategy and new business initiatives, and vice president of marketing for Disney Regional Entertainment. She has also served on the Hong Kong Disneyland board of directors.

Prior to joining Disney, Leslie held various senior-level marketing positions at McCann-Erickson, Johnson & Johnson and SmithKline Beecham.

“During her tenure at Parks and Resorts, Leslie was known for driving results and inspiring her teams to even greater achievements,” says Staggs. “She has a deep understanding of our brands and franchises, as well as a solid vision for how they fit into the global consumer marketplace, both of which will serve her extremely well as she leads the Disney Consumer Products team into the future.”

“This is an exciting time at Disney Consumer Products, given the company’s unprecedented array of brands and franchises,” says Ferraro. “I look forward to leading this dynamic business and our incredibly talented team as we continue to launch new products and retail experiences that combine technological innovation and creativity.”