The intrepid ‘Mouse’ finds a house in PH

Andy Bird

BURBANK—“We focus on good stories and good storytelling,” says Andy Bird. This is an assertion he makes over and over. It’s particularly compelling because he is one of the most powerful persons at Walt Disney Company.

The British Bird is the president of Walt Disney International, meaning he is in charge of growing the company outside the United States—and that is a lot of territory to cover. And Bird has been busy boosting Disney presence all over the world since joining the company in 2004.

One of Bird’s key goals is to emphasize local content. In an exclusive interview with the Inquirer, Bird spoke jovially and effusively about the company’s prospects in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Business is changing in these territories, Bird tells the Inquirer. “I think digital technology and mobility are having a profound impact on consumers and [these are] giving us the ability to have a direct relationship, whether it’s through telcos or whether it’s working with hardware or e-commerce or different opportunities.”

In the Philippines, Bird is particularly bullish on collaborations with two local partners. First is Globe Telecom, whom Disney is partnering with for its on-demand, exclusive app and channel contents. Then, there is the deal with SM Group for the consumer products. Bird is very proud of these connections.

“A lot of it is about local partnerships,” he says. “Our partnership with Globe is phenomenal in the Philippines. Also with the SM group—that’s enabled us not only to expand our presence in retail but also theatrically with our movies and bringing live shows and immersive experiences to the region.”

Bird likes traveling to territories where Disney is expanding. He recalls a trip to a modest home in Manila to talk to a woman, whose husband was working abroad while two of three children were working in call centers.

In that small home, Bird saw a teenage boy busy with his X-Box gaming console. “The boy was playing and learning, communicating with the rest of the world. I found that fascinating.”

Also part of Bird’s job is choosing the right ground teams.

“We have a great team in the Philippines led by Veronica (Espinosa-Cabalinan). They have great teams, young and enthusiastic, working with them on the ground. I trust them 100 percent to create a Philippine Walt Disney company. It will reflect local customs, local taste and bring us back to relevance.”

The classics

Disney has also embraced disruptions in the digital age by rebooting its animated classics via live-action versions while also working on new stuff.

“It’s a very interesting question, because it’s not just the mix of original with original,” Bird says of Disney’s tack.

“We’ve announced plans for other live action remakes like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ but at the same time, we always constantly [create] new [intellectual property].”

He says they also have to manage expectations when it comes to sequels. “We’re very careful [in Disney or Pixar] … Sometimes, there is an impulse [to do three or more] when you have a successful film …”

He adds, “sometimes the easiest thing to do isn’t the right thing to do. It’s about finding new stories to tell and new geographies to tell, like ‘Moana’, which brings Polynesian culture to the world [and has proved] very successful. Or you take a completely new idea like ‘Zootopia’. But you also have sequels to ‘Cars’ and ‘The Incredibles’. It’s a balance, but we’re always constantly creating new things.”

The next Disney film via subsidiary Pixar is Coco—which is all original. The story inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead will be out in theaters in November.

Bird is happy whenever people pull him aside to show him something new they’ve come up with. “Sometimes, I don’t know what they will be showing me, but I’m sure it’s cool and wonderful and something the world has never seen before.”

Southeast Asian countries are important to Disney because of the potential of their young population.

“You have a lot of organic growth. You can adapt to new technology. What I love about ambitious developing countries is [their] ability to go from zero to a hundred very quickly, almost overnight. The pace of growth, it’s quite staggering,” he says.

Bird and his carefully selected teams all over the world know that Disney is always expanding, evolving and discovering new things.

“I think we can always improve. I think complacency is the scourge of any big company. We are very careful, always looking at ways to improve any business. For us, putting the consumer at the heart is the most important thing. It means making ourselves relevant to the consumer … This is a company that’s always moving forward, one that’s not complacent or arrogant. One that is ambitious and respectful.”