General Motors CEO Joins Disney Board

Walt Disney Co.’s board of directors has elected Mary T. Barra, chief executive of General Motors Co., to join the board immediately, the company announced Thursday. The Burbank media conglomerate now has 12 directors on its board. Barra has served as chief executive and GM since 2014, and has worked at the car maker since 1980. “Beyond being an incredibly respected leader of a major U.S. company, Mary is recognized as an agent of change with a relentless focus on quality, safety and, most importantly, consumers,” Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said in a statement. “Her ability to adapt to a changing technological and consumer-focused landscape makes her uniquely suited for the Disney board.” The board is searching for a successor to Iger, whose contract lasts until 2019. Shares of Disney (DIS) closed Thursday up 2 cents, or a fraction of 1 percent, to $101.52 on the New York Stock Exchange.