Disney Settles Lawsuit Over Rescinded Executive Job Offer

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Disney has settled a lawsuit from a former BP executive who accused the entertainment giant of reneging on a job offer to head its corporate affairs department amid its fracas with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for control of the special tax district that controls development around Walt Disney World.

Lawyers for both sides notified the court on Tuesday of a deal to resolve the suit. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In 2022, Shanan Guinn, BP’s former senior vice president of business communications who also had a stint as chief of staff for the House of Representatives, sued Disney for breach of contract, among other claims. She alleged she was offered a position as head of the Geoff Morrell-run corporate affairs department, which included communications, under ex-chief executive Bob Chapek.

But when Morell, who recruited Guinn to Disney, was terminated as part of larger personnel changes amid Disney’s opposition to a Florida law limiting classroom discussion on sexuality, which led to the state assuming control of the company’s special tax district, her offer was rescinded.

Disney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to a securities filing, Morrell’s compensation package in 2022 totaled roughly $8.4 million. Following his termination, he was paid his target bonus of $1.5 million, with Disney buying out the home he purchased in Southern California after he relocated from London, where he worked as BP’s executive vice president of communications alongside Guinn.

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