Disney Expands Board to 14

Walt Disney Co. has added the head of a biotech firm and a computer technology executive to its board of directors. The Burbank entertainment and media giant said that the elections of Safra Catz and Francis deSouza are effective Feb. 1. The additions expand the Disney board to 14 members. Catz is the co-chief executive of Oracle Corp., where she has been since 1999. She previously served in several executive positions, including as chief financial officer and president, for the Redwood Shores-based global provider of enterprise computing services. DeSouza is chief executive of Illumina Inc. where he directs all aspects of the company’s strategy, planning and operations. He joined the San Diego biotech firm in 2013 as president. Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said that both Catz and deSouza bring innovative and valuable perspective to the board. “Ms. Catz has led Oracle through a period of tremendous growth and innovation since taking the helm in 2014,” Iger said in a prepared statement. “Mr. deSouza has overseen the development of groundbreaking genomics technology at Illumina that pushes the boundaries of science, significantly impacting the well-being of people around the world.” Shares in Disney (DIS) closed Thursday down 20 cents, or a fraction of a percent, to $105.26 on the New York Stock Exchange.