Disney Branded Television has promoted programming executive Ayo Davis as its new president, succeeding departing president Gary Marsh. 

Davis, currently executive VP for creative development and strategy for Disney Branded Television, will oversee the operations the company, including programming, strategy, development, casting, business affairs and marketing for scripted, unscripted and animation across Disney Plus, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior.

Davis succeeds Marsh, who earlier this week announced he was leaving the position to launch a new production company. The two will work closely on a transition through the rest of the year, Disney said. 

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Davis, a 20-year Disney veteran, was promoted to her current position in November 2020 after previously serving as executive VP, talent and casting, at ABC Entertainment and Disney Plus. In her most recent position, Davis cultivated a partnership with Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street Productions to adapt Janae Marks’s book From the Desk of Zoe Washington, and attached Eva Longoria and Ben Spector’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment to Carlos Hernandez’s Sal & Gabi Break the Universe.  She is also responsible for helping to bring in House of Secrets filmmaker Chris Columbus. Davis also collaborates closely with studios across Disney, including 20th Television and ABC Signature.

Davis will report to Disney chairman of General Entertainment Content Peter Rice, who in a statement called Davis “a focused leader” with impeccable creative instincts.

“Her creative eye for talent has made meaningful impact in front of and behind the camera, from iconic shows across our networks that were defined by their casting choices to building a roster of creator talent that will redefine family programming at Disney Branded Television,“ Rice said. ”She’s the absolute perfect person to lead the team at a time they are broadening their remit to develop more family programming across streaming and cable distribution. I’m excited to watch all she will accomplish.”

Added Davis: “I am beyond grateful to Peter Rice and Gary Marsh for their extraordinary leadership, support and mentorship. It’s a tremendous honor to continue Gary’s legacy of delighting kids and families through Disney Branded TV’s unparalleled storytelling, and it’s an amazing time for kids and family programming. I’m thrilled to continue working with my team, colleagues, our TV studios and, of course, the creators who trust us with their projects as we work to develop the next generation of beloved stories and franchises.” 

The Walt Disney Co. announced that Gary Marsh is stepping down as president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television at the end of the year to launch his own production company.

In 33 years at Disney, Marsh helped develop franchises including High School Musical and Hannah Montana, shows like Lizzie McGuire, Descendants, Phineas and Ferb, and That’s So Raven and the Disney Junior cable network. 

A replacement for Marsh was not named. Marsh will be helping with the transition.

Marsh’s new production company is being backed by a multi-year deal with Disney General Entertainment. It will create content for Disney TV and streaming platforms. 

“Gary’s leadership and creative genius have shaped a generation of beloved kids and family programming, and we are forever grateful for the indelible impact he’s made at The Walt Disney Company,” said Peter Rice, chairman, Disney General Entertainment. “Gary is a valued leader and good friend, and we’ve been talking about this move for years. So when he decided to focus solely on producing after three decades of an amazing executive career, I jumped at the opportunity to keep him among us.”

Marsh will be finalizing projects that will be developed by his new company, including two Descendants movies and the prequel to Beauty and the Beast. Also in Marsh’s pipeline are Tink, School for Sensitive Souls and Witch Mountain. 

“For 33 years, I’ve had the greatest job in television,” Marsh said. “The stories we’ve told, the music we’ve created, the stars we’ve discovered, the franchises we’ve built – all of it has entertained and engaged millions of kids and families around the globe. Thanks to the reach of Disney’s streaming platforms, those stories will live forever in the hearts and minds of future generations, alongside all the new stories I look forward to telling. There simply could not be a more compelling or creatively stimulating time to enter the production ranks.”

Disney Channel is looking for a ratings rebound with new series and original movies slated for the kids-targeted network over the next year.

While Disney was the most watched cable network over a 24-hour basis during the third quarter 2014, the network overall audience was down 20% from the same period last year. In primetime, Disney posted a 24% year-to-year audience decline during the quarter.

Disney Channel president and chief creative officer Gary Marsh acknowledged “softness” in the ratings, which he said also extended to competitors including Nickelodeon as well as many of the top 10 most-watched networks in primetime.

Marsh pinned some of the decline on the viewing of mainstay Disney shows such as Hannah Montana and Jessie on platforms such as WatchDisney and Netflix.

Besides cable rivals such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, OTT services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon are also going after kids with original animated and live-action kids’ shows.

“Certainly there’s more competition than there ever was, and that’s going to continue,” Marsh said. “It really is just a call to action for us to up our game to create must-see television and programming that speaks to what our brand is. We can’t stop the competition, but all we can do is to create stronger and better programming.”

In January 2015 Disney Channel — which targets girls 6 to 11 as well as tweens — will bring back Zendaya Coleman (Shake It Up!) in a new series titled KC Undercover. She plays the daughter of spy parents and gets drafted into the family business.

“What I’m incredibly proud of is this the first time in a long time where we have a family sitcom featuring an entire African- American family,” Marsh said, alluding to past Disney shows including That’s So Raven and The Proud Family.

KC Undercover will join the current roster of shows, including Jessie, Dog With a Blog and Girl Meets World, which is coming back for a second season.

While the network’s original movies are perennially among the mostwatched each year by its core viewers, Marsh said he’d like to find the next breakout film or franchise, a la High School Musical.

Descendants, about the off spring of such classic Disney film villains as Cruella de Vil and the Evil Queen, and Teen Beach Movie 2, following up on a 2013 original that drew 8.4 million viewers to the premiere, are slated for 2015.

Disney wants to roll out four to five movies next year, Marsh said.