Disney Plus’ struggles continue as the company’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Joe Inzerillo, departs from the company to join the SiriusXM Broadcasting Company as the new Chief Product & Technology Officer.

Shortly after the announcement, SiriusXM stated the following:

“Joe brings significant experience building and leading innovative digital platforms, and he will be instrumental as SiriusXM continues to evolve and as we execute on our growth strategies. We pride ourselves on providing the best content in audio entertainment, and with Joe spearheading our technological advancements, we will accelerate our efforts to develop the best product experiences for listeners to consume our unmatched content both in and out of the car.“

Joe also commented on his new venture:

“I am a longtime listener and huge fan of SiriusXM, and I could not be more excited to join this team. Streaming and over-the-top offerings have revolutionized the entertainment industry and audio is no exception. This opportunity is the culmination of all of my professional experiences over the last 30 years, and one I simply could not pass up.“



Joe Inzerillo was the head of Disney’s Streaming division, which included Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, Hulu and Star Plus. He was one of the technology heads who led the creation of Disney Plus. He served as CTO and EVP of all technology aspects including streaming, commerce, platform development, and globalization Disney’s direct-to-consumer initiative.

His departure was very sudden and is quite the blow to Disney’s recent push to direct-to-consumer products. Disney Plus’ numbers have been stagnating as a metaphorical roof has been hit when it comes to new subscribers. This, along with a series of recent box office bombs, does not give the company a good look in terms of their output of “quality content”.



Going forward Disney Plus will have quite the uphill battle as the lack of new domestic subscribers will force the company to try and attract other foreign markets to make up for the lack of growth. And now without an experienced leader, who knows what other troubles the service might encounter. 

Perhaps it would be best if Disney were to simply combine all their services into one with different tabs. One for Disney/Kid content, one for more teenage/adult content, one for live TV and one for sports. At least that’s what I’d do.

What do you think the future holds for Disney Plus?

Source: Variety