Aug 21 (Reuters) - Walt Disney ( DIS ) on Wednesday

named board member and Morgan Stanley ( MS ) executive chairman

James Gorman to chair its succession planning committee, which

is looking for a replacement to longtime CEO Bob Iger.

Disney ( DIS ) won a months-long proxy war earlier this year with

activist investor Nelson Peltz who argued the company had

underperformed in the streaming-television era and criticized

its succession planning.

The board has extended Iger's retirement date five times,

including pulling him back from an initial retirement in 2022 to

replace his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek.

Last year, Iger, who was the CEO from 2005 to 2020 before

his 2022 reappointment, said he would extend his stay through

2026 and "definitely" step down when his contract ends.

Gorman joined as a Disney ( DIS ) director this year and oversaw the

recent succession process at Morgan Stanley ( MS ). He was its CEO from

2010 to 2023 and will be ceding his role as executive chairman

at Disney ( DIS ) in December.

"Succession planning is a top priority of the Board," Disney ( DIS )

Chairman Mark Parker said. The company said it was reviewing

internal and external candidates for the CEO position.

The company also said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors ( GM )

and Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon Athletica ( LULU )

will continue to serve on the succession planning committee,

which has met six times so far in fiscal 2024.

In addition, the board has discussed the search for the next

CEO at all of its regularly scheduled meetings this year, Disney ( DIS )

said.

(Reporting by Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun

Koyyur)