Disney CFO McCarthy to step down for family medical leave

By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine

(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy is stepping down from her position to take family medical leave and will help search for a long-term successor, the company said on Thursday.

Kevin Lansberry, currently chief financial officer for Disney's parks, experiences and products division, will serve as the company's interim CFO starting July 1.

McCarthy, a 23-year Disney veteran who became CFO in 2015, will continue to serve as a strategic adviser to ensure a successful transition, Disney said in a statement. A source said McCarthy's husband has been ill.

"Although I am leaving the CFO role, I look forward to helping with the transition and will always be rooting for the success of my extended Disney family," McCarthy said in a statement.

McCarthy, 67, helped set the stage for CEO Bob Iger's return to Disney last November, when she expressed her lack of confidence in his predecessor, Bob Chapek.

On Thursday, Iger called McCarthy "one of the most admired financial executives in America."

"Christine has served as a key strategic anchor during a period of great transformation," Iger added.

(This story has been corrected to fix McCarthy's age to 67, not 65, in paragraph 5)

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Jonathan Oatis)