Key Takeaways
- • Bob Iger joins Thrive Capital as venture partner on part-time basis, bringing 47 years of Disney experience and recent investment track record in consumer and technology sectors to Joshua Kushner's VC firm.
- • Iger will advise on investment decisions and mentor startup founders and CEOs, leveraging his operational expertise from building Disney into an IP powerhouse through major acquisitions (Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, 21st Century Fox assets).
- • Thrive Capital raised $3 billion earlier in 2026 for two new funds, positioning the firm for significant deployment as it adds institutional credibility through Iger's advisory role.
- • Iger remains actively dealmaking post-Disney, holding stakes in Funko, GoPuff, and Genies, and previously expressed specific interest in startup opportunities over traditional board positions.
- • Move represents cross-ideological business collaboration: Iger (centrist, formerly Democratic) joining Kushner family firm carries no formal Trump administration connection, as Jared Kushner divested from Thrive before White House service.
Summary
Former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger has joined venture capital firm Thrive Capital as a venture partner in a part-time capacity, the company announced on Tuesday. In this advisory role, Iger will evaluate potential investments and serve as a mentor to the founders and CEOs of companies in which Thrive invests. The Wall Street Journal first reported the appointment.
Iger departed Disney in 2020 as CEO after a 15-year tenure and remained as chairman through the end of 2021, following a 47-year career with the company. During his leadership, he orchestrated transformative acquisitions—including Marvel Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox assets—that positioned Disney as a dominant content and intellectual property conglomerate and enabled the successful launch of Disney Plus. Since exiting the company, Iger has remained engaged in the investment ecosystem, acquiring minority stakes in consumer and technology companies including the collectibles brand Funko, the quick-delivery service GoPuff, and the metaverse avatar company Genies. He is also authoring a leadership book following his 2019 memoir.
Thrive Capital was founded in 2009 by Joshua Kushner and raised approximately $3 billion earlier in 2026 for two new funds. At the Code Conference last week, Iger indicated he had been approached repeatedly by companies seeking board participation but expressed greater interest in working with early-stage ventures. The Thrive partnership aligns with that stated preference. Kushner is the younger brother of former Trump White House adviser Jared Kushner and is married to model Karlie Kloss; the firm maintains no formal Trump administration affiliation, with Jared Kushner having fully divested before government service.
Iger departed Disney in 2020 as CEO after a 15-year tenure and remained as chairman through the end of 2021, following a 47-year career with the company. During his leadership, he orchestrated transformative acquisitions—including Marvel Studios, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox assets—that positioned Disney as a dominant content and intellectual property conglomerate and enabled the successful launch of Disney Plus. Since exiting the company, Iger has remained engaged in the investment ecosystem, acquiring minority stakes in consumer and technology companies including the collectibles brand Funko, the quick-delivery service GoPuff, and the metaverse avatar company Genies. He is also authoring a leadership book following his 2019 memoir.
Thrive Capital was founded in 2009 by Joshua Kushner and raised approximately $3 billion earlier in 2026 for two new funds. At the Code Conference last week, Iger indicated he had been approached repeatedly by companies seeking board participation but expressed greater interest in working with early-stage ventures. The Thrive partnership aligns with that stated preference. Kushner is the younger brother of former Trump White House adviser Jared Kushner and is married to model Karlie Kloss; the firm maintains no formal Trump administration affiliation, with Jared Kushner having fully divested before government service.
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