WSJ : Iger Likely To Stay On As Disney CEO Past 2019 If Fox Deal Reached

(RTTNews) - Walt Disney Co. (DIS) Chief Executive Robert Iger will likely stay on past his 2019 retirement date if the entertainment company wins its bid to buy the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox Inc. (FOX, FOXA), the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the negotiations.

Representatives of 21st Century Fox and its executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, requested as part of the potential sale that Mr. Iger stay on past his planned July 2019 retirement to assist with the integration of assets, valued today at $40 billion, and strategic repositioning of the combined businesses, according to the report.

A deal could be announced as soon as late next week, the Journal reported.

If the deal goes through, it likely wouldn't close until late 2018. Disney would then spend much of 2019 integrating the two companies' assets, including cable-television networks, international TV distributors and a film and television studio, the report noted.

Iger, 66, signed his fourth contract extension with Disney in March, a deal that stretches his term as CEO to July 2019.