Michael Eisner

Michael Eisner is a prominent American business executive best known for his transformative 21-year tenure as CEO of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 to 2005. Prior to Disney, he served as president of Paramount Pictures and held positions at major television networks NBC, CBS, and ABC. During his leadership at Disney, Eisner orchestrated the company's animation renaissance, overseeing the creation of critically and commercially successful films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. His strategic vision led to Disney's expansion through significant acquisitions, including ABC, ESPN, and The Muppets franchise. Eisner's impact on Disney extended to the theme park division, where he directed the development and opening of numerous parks worldwide. These included Disney-MGM Studios, Disneyland Paris, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Hong Kong Disneyland, substantially growing Disney's global entertainment footprint. After leaving Disney in 2005, Eisner founded The Tornante Company, an investment firm focused on media and entertainment. He authored books including "Work in Progress" (1998) and "Working Together" (2010), sharing insights from his extensive career in entertainment and business leadership.

Reader reviews focus heavily on Eisner's memoir "Work in Progress" and his business leadership book "Working Together." Readers appreciated: - Behind-the-scenes details about Disney's animation revival and corporate decisions - Candid discussion of both successes and failures - Clear explanations of entertainment industry dynamics - Personal anecdotes about working with creative talents Common criticisms: - Self-serving tone in describing conflicts with other executives - Lack of depth on controversial business decisions - Too much focus on defending his management style - Repetitive storytelling in "Working Together" One Amazon reviewer noted: "Eisner shares valuable insights but seems more interested in settling scores than providing a balanced account." Ratings across platforms: - "Work in Progress": 3.8/5 on Goodreads (486 ratings), 4.1/5 on Amazon (89 reviews) - "Working Together": 3.4/5 on Goodreads (127 ratings), 3.7/5 on Amazon (31 reviews) Most readers view Eisner's books as informative but colored by his perspective as a polarizing figure in entertainment.

Work in Progress (1998) A memoir detailing Eisner's career trajectory and experiences leading The Walt Disney Company, providing insight into the entertainment industry's evolution and corporate decision-making processes.

Working Together (2010) An analysis of successful business partnerships throughout history, examining how complementary relationships between leaders have driven innovation and success across various industries.

Jack Welch wrote about transforming GE during his CEO tenure and shares comparable insights about leading a major corporation through change. His books focus on management philosophy and corporate leadership strategies from his direct experience.

Bob Iger succeeded Eisner at Disney and provides first-hand perspective on entertainment industry leadership and corporate acquisitions. His writing covers similar territory about Disney's evolution and media company management.

Sumner Redstone built Viacom into a media empire and wrote about entertainment industry dynamics from a CEO perspective. His books examine media consolidation and content strategy during the same era as Eisner's Disney leadership.

Tom Murphy grew Capital Cities/ABC into a broadcasting powerhouse before Disney's acquisition and shares insights about television network management. His writing provides context about the television business that parallels Eisner's network experience.

Jeffrey Katzenberg worked directly with Eisner at both Paramount and Disney, offering complementary perspectives on entertainment production and studio management. His accounts cover similar events and time periods from the viewpoint of a creative executive.