Disney’s Sweeney quits to become TV director

Disney/ABC Television Group president and Disney Media Networks co-chair Anne Sweeney is to leave the company to become a TV director.

Sweeney, who joined Disney in 1996, will step down by the end of 2014, and Disney hopes to recruit a replacement for Sweeney by May.

Commenting on her decision, Sweeney said that “there has always been a nagging voice in the back of my head pushing me to step out of the comfort zone of the executive ranks and more directly into the creative arena that enticed me to TV in the first place”.

” I finally listened to that voice and thought, ‘if not now, when?’  I know my decision to step back from all of this to learn the art of Directing may seem surprising, but to me it’s a long realised dream,” said Sweeney.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said: “I applaud Anne for knowing what she wants out of life and for having the courage to follow her dream. We’re thrilled she’ll be with us through the end of the year, and look forward to having her direct one of our shows in the future.”