The Walt Disney Company has elected Michael Froman, former U.S. trade representative and vice chairman and president of strategic growth at Mastercard, to its board of directors, the company DIS, +0.97% announced Thursday. "Mike brings a unique perspective that will be extremely valuable as we continue to build the future of Disney," said Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger. "In particular, his keen insights into finance, international trade and government partnerships make him a great fit for our Board during this dynamic era of innovation and global growth," he said. Froman was named to his current post at Mastercard in April 2018. There, he responsible for building strategic partnerships with with governments, NGOs and other institutions. Prior to joining Mastercard, Froman served as U.S. trade representative from 2013 to 2017, where he negotiated international trade partnerships and investments on behalf of the United States. Before that, he served as assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs under former President Barack Obama. He has also held several leadership positions at Citigroup. Disney shares have gained 2.8% in the year to date, while the S&P 500 SPX, +0.47% ha sgained 8.6%.
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