Disney's Pixar names Jonathan Garson president as Jim Morris steps back

Pixar Animation Studios announced on Wednesday that veteran Jonathan Garson will become president on January 4, replacing Jim Morris, who will step back from day-to-day leadership ahead of his eventual retirement.

Pixar is part of the Disney empire, which bought the animation studio in 2006 and brought the maker of Toy Story and The Incredibles under the same corporate roof as Disney's own animation business.

The reshuffle sets up the next generation of leadership at Pixar, with Garson taking charge of production and operations, while Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter retains oversight of the studio's films, the studio said.

Meanwhile, Morris, Pixar's president for 12 years, will step back to take the president emeritus role and remain involved in Incredibles 3 and other projects.

Morris joined Pixar in 2005 and has served as president for 12 years, with Pixar saying its feature films generated more than $12 billion at the global box office during his tenure

Garson, on the other hand, has been with Pixar since 2010 and with Disney for more than 30 years. He most recently served as Pixar's general manager.

Garson will lead Pixar as it carries out several releases in the next two years, including Gatto in March 2027, Ghost Market in March 2028 and Incredibles 3 in June 2028