迪斯尼公司副董事长及动画片部门董事长（英）.doc

迪斯尼公司副董事长及动画片部门董事长（英） DearMichael, ItiswithdeepsadnessandregretthatIsendyouthisletterofresignationfromtheWaltDisneyCompany,bothasChairmanoftheFeatureAnimationDivisionandasViceChairmanoftheBoardofDirectors. YouwellknowthatyouandIhavehadseriousdifferencesofopinionaboutthedirectionandstyleofmanagementintheCompanyinrecentyears.Forwhateverreason,youhavedrivenawedgebetweenmeandthoseIworkwitheventotheextentofrequiringsomeofmyassociatestoreportmyconversationsandactivitiesbacktoyou.Ifindthisintolerable. Finally,youdiscussedwiththeNominatingCommitteeoftheBoardofDirectorsitsdecisiontoleavemynameofftheslateofdirectorstobeelectedintheingyear,effectivelymuzzlingmyvoiceontheBoardmuchasyoudidwithAndreaVandeKamplastyear. Michael,IbelieveyourconducthasresultedfrommyclearandunambiguousstatementstoyouandtheBoardofDirectorsthatafter19yearsatthehelmyouarenolongerthebestpersontoruntheWaltDisneyCompany.Youhadaverysuccessfulfirst10-plusyearsattheCompanyinpartnershipwithFrankWells,forwhichIsaluteyou.But,sinceFranksuntimelydeathin1994,theCompanyhaslostitsfocus,itscreativeenergy,anditsheritage. AsIhavesaid,andasStanleyGoldhasdocumentedinletterstoyouandothermembersoftheBoard,thisCompany,underyourleadership,hasfailedduringthelastsevenyearsinmanyways: 1.ThefailuretobringbackABCPrimeTimefromtheratingsabyssithasbeeninforyearsandyourinabilitytoprogramsuccessfullytheABCFamilyChannel.Bothofthesefailureshavehad,andIbelieve,willcontinuetohave,significantadverseimpactonshareholdervalue. 2.Yourconsistentmicro-managementofeveryonearoundyouwiththeresultinglossofmoralethroughoutthisCompany. 3.Thetimidityofyourinvestmentsinourthemeparkbusiness.AtDisneysCaliforniaAdventure,Paris,andnowinHongKong,youhavetriedtobuildparksonthecheapandtheyshowit,andtheattendancefiguresreflectit. 4.Theperceptionbyallofourstakeholdersconsumers,investors,employees,distributorsandsuppliersthattheCompanyisrapacious,soul-less,andalwayslookingforthequickbuckratherthanthelong-termvaluewhichisleadingtoalossofpublictrust. 5.Thecreativebraindrainofthelastseveralyears,whichisrealandcontinuing,anddamagesourCompanywiththelossofeverytalentedemployee. 6.Yourfailuretoestablishandbuildconstructiverelationshipswithcreativepartners,especiallyPixar,Miramax,andthecablepaniesdistributingourproducts. 7.Yourconsistentrefusaltoestablishaclearsuccessionplan. Inconclusion,Michael,itismysincerebeliefthatitisyouwhoshouldbeleavingandnotme.Accordingly,Ionceagaincallforyourresignationorretirement.TheWaltDisneyCompanydeservesfresh,energeticleadershipatthischallengingtimeinitshistoryjustasitdidin1984whenIheadedarestructuringwhichresultedinyourrecruitmenttotheCompany. IhaveandwillalwayshaveanenormousallegianceandrespectforthisCompany,foundedbymyuncle,Walt,andfather,Roy,andtoourfaithfulemployeesandloyalstockholders.IdontknowifyouandotherdirectorscanprehendhowpainfulitisformeandtheextendedDisneyfamilytoarriveatthisdecision. InaccordancewithItem6ofForm8-KandIte