New York Set To Honor Former Disney CEO With Prestigious Cultural Honors

Bob Iger has not been Disney’s CEO since March, and the formal recognition of what he built during his time at Disney is already accumulating in ways that suggest the legacy assessment is well underway.

Earlier this month, Iger received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Howard University. Now the Perelman Performing Arts Center has named him the recipient of its 2026 Icon of Culture Award. Which will be presented at the organization’s fall gala in October.

Two significant honors in the span of weeks for a man who spent the better part of two decades reshaping American entertainment from the top of one of its most influential companies.

The Announcement

The Icon of Culture Award news was announced by Perelman Performing Arts Center chair Michael Bloomberg. Along with fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, who received the same award in 2025. Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts was present for the announcement.

Bloomberg’s words about Iger were direct and expansive. He described Iger as one of the most ambitious and effective executives in the world with 40 years of leadership in media and entertainment. Bloomberg noted that, as Disney CEO, Iger led one of the world’s most influential companies to new heights, including an unparalleled run of global box-office hits. Bloomberg also highlighted Iger’s specific ties to New York and Lower Manhattan, noting his commitment as a board member and supporter of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, his role as an early champion of the Perelman Performing Arts Center, and his position on the board of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The New York connection gives this particular honor a dimension that goes beyond career achievement into civic identity, acknowledging the version of Bob Iger that exists outside of entertainment industry conversation.

What Iger Built at Disney

The career Bloomberg was describing spans acquisitions that permanently altered the entertainment landscape. Pixar. Marvel. Lucasfilm. The bulk of 21st Century Fox. Disney+. A global parks expansion that turned Walt Disney World and Disneyland into something qualitatively larger than what Iger inherited. An uninterrupted run of theatrical dominance that stretched across multiple franchises and multiple decades.

Iger returned to Disney in late 2022 after Bob Chapek was removed as CEO. This marked the start of his second tenure, focused on restructuring. While finding a long-term successor. That successor arrived in March when Josh D’Amaro, formerly Chairman of Disney Experiences, became CEO. Dana Walden was named President and Chief Creative Officer in the same period.

Where Disney Stands Now

The company Iger handed off is in active motion. D’Amaro and Walden are establishing their directions. Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are leading Lucasfilm following Kathleen Kennedy’s departure. Walt Disney World has new leadership with Joe Schott named as resort president. The new executive team has already gathered for a leadership meeting focused on the future of Star Wars.

The Disney Iger built is being carried forward by the people he put in place. The Perelman Performing Arts Center is ensuring that the person who built it is properly acknowledged. They want to do this before the next chapter of the story moves ahead.

October is when the award will be presented. The recognition, as Bloomberg made clear, has been a long time in the making.