CEO

Los Angeles County’s chief executive officer Fesia Davenport, who has been on medical leave since October, has announced that she will resign next month.

In a LinkedIn post, Davenport said she was leaving county service to “focus on my health and wellness.”

A notice to the Board of Supervisors provided to The Times Saturday said she had decided to step down April 16 “based primarily on hereditary and ongoing health issues initially uncovered late last year, the risks of which have become clearer based on more recent medical testing and consultation with my doctors.”

She said the “extraordinary amount of time and energy” required of the chief executive played into her decision.

“Although I originally assumed that I would be able to return to my post, I now know that I would be unable to do the job as it deserves to be done while also prioritizing my health,” she told the supervisors.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement Saturday saying, “I’m disappointed by Fesia Davenport’s decision to step down. Her dedication and accomplishments over nearly three decades have left a lasting impact on Los Angeles County.”

Davenport, who was appointed to the county’s top job in 2021, received an undisclosed $2-million settlement last summer to compensate for damage to her “professional reputation” from Measure G, a voter-approved ballot measure that will soon eliminate her position.

In a July 8 letter, released by the county counsel in October through a public record request, Davenport said she sought $2 million in damages for “reputational harm, embarrassment, and physical, emotional and mental distress caused by the Measure G.”

Under Measure G, which voters approved in 2024, the county chief executive, who manages the county government and oversees its budget, will be elected by voters instead of appointed by the board. The elected county executive will be in place by 2028.

Measure G “has had, and will continue to have, an unprecedented impact on my professional reputation, health, career, income, and retirement,” Davenport wrote to county counsel Dawyn Harrison. She said it had “irrevocably changed my life, my professional career, economic outlook, and plans for the future.”

At the time the payout was disclosed, Davenport had begun a medical leave, saying at the time she expected to be back to work early this year.

A lengthy email to her staff, posted on LAist, which first disclosed her resignation, said the unspecified “health crisis” has affected three of her siblings and posed risks to her that “have become clearer based on more recent medical testing and consultation with my doctors.”

Her brother Raymond died in 2018 after “experiencing a sudden health crisis,” she said. Last year, two more of her sisters survived the same health crisis, but one will now require 24-hour care for the rest of her life, she said.

“Although I am not out of the woods yet, I am thankful to the Board for granting me the space to focus on my health and to arm myself with the knowledge I needed to make informed decisions,” she wrote.

The office of chief executive issued a statement Saturday saying chief operating officer Joe Nicchitta will continue serving as acting chief executive officer while Davenport remains on medical leave.

“We appreciate Fesia’s nearly three decades of service to Los Angeles County and all that she has accomplished on behalf of its residents and communities,” the statement said.

Davenport listed a number of accomplishments in her letter to the board, including setting up five new departments maintaining the county’s credit rating when other jurisdictions were being downgraded and “balancing the budget while developing a financing plan to compensate sexual assault victims — the largest settlement of its kind in American history.”

That payout has now come under scrutiny after a Times investigation found that some plaintiffs had been paid to join the class-action lawsuit.

March 20 (Asia Today) — Coupang interim CEO Harold Rogers joined an overnight to dawn delivery shift in Seongnam, south of Seoul, after accepting a lawmaker’s request at a National Assembly hearing to experience the job firsthand. Rogers worked from 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to 6:30 a.m. Thursday, taking part in the full process from loading to delivery, according to Coupang and local media reports.

The overnight shift followed a proposal made by Democratic Party lawmaker Yeom Tae-young during a parliamentary hearing in December, which Rogers agreed to at the time. Coupang said the experience was intended to deepen management’s understanding of field operations and strengthen trust by following through on that commitment.

Rogers and Yeom began at Coupang Logistics’ delivery camp in Yatap, where they completed safety training and helped load packages. They then rode with a directly employed Coupang delivery driver, known as a “Coupang Friend,” and delivered orders to apartments, villas and detached homes across Jungwon-gu.

Coupang said it would use the experience to accelerate workplace improvements and strengthen safety management by reflecting feedback from the field. Rogers said he was proud of all Coupang workers, including delivery staff, and pledged to continue building what he described as safe and advanced working conditions.

Separately, Coupang Fulfillment Services said it will begin holding job fairs Monday in Suwon, Daegu and other locations to recruit logistics workers as Rocket Fresh expands. The company said the events will use a one-stop hiring format covering consultation through interviews.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260320010006133

Disney has a new captain, and his eyes are on the stars.

Taking over the reins from Bob Iger on Wednesday, new chief executive Josh D’Amaro signaled a bold shift for the entertainment giant: a future where emotional storytelling remains the “North Star,” but cutting-edge technology provides the fuel.

From ESPN to the Magic Kingdom, D’Amaro said in his first letter to employees as the top boss that his mission is to turn a century of nostalgia into a more personal, high-tech reality for fans worldwide.

“Used thoughtfully, it can empower our storytellers, strengthen our capabilities, and help us create more immersive, interactive and personal ways for people to experience Disney,” he wrote in the Wednesday morning note.

D’Amaro also said he wants the sprawling company, which includes film and TV studios, a tourism division, streaming services and live sports programming, to operate as “one Disney,” saying the global businesses all play a role in deepening consumers’ relationship with the Mouse House.

That connection people have with Disney’s brand is key to the company’s future. Consumers have more film, TV and experiences to choose from than ever, meaning Disney needs to distinguish itself among competitors.

To do that, D’Amaro plans to focus on the emotions consumers feel when they encounter Disney. As an example, he reminisced about his own first visit to Disneyland more than 40 years ago.

He recalled the joy on his father’s face as the two rode Peter Pan’s Flight together. And when they soared over the miniature version of London on the ride, he remembered his father leaning in and saying, “See, I told you. It feels like we’re flying!”

“That feeling of flying I had on Peter Pan all those years ago is still real to me,” he wrote in the Wednesday morning note. “And today, I am honored to move forward with all of you — with ambition, optimism, and absolute confidence in what we can build together.”

That new era also included a goodbye to Bob Iger, who handed over the reins Wednesday and now moves into a senior advisory role for the rest of the year before his planned retirement.

The company paid tribute to Iger in a video during Disney’s annual shareholders meeting Wednesday morning.

With clips from his earliest public appearances as Disney’s CEO, a highlight reel of the acquisitions the company made under his tenure and even a nod to his previous career behind the anchor desk, the video highlighted Iger’s legacy at the company and the role he played in bulking up Disney’s franchises, global theme parks, sports and streaming platforms.

When asked in the video about where he’ll go from here, Iger laughed and replied, “To Disneyland.”

In a pre-recorded speech, Iger said his time at Disney has spanned much of his life and that he never expected to become CEO of the company — much less twice.

“Over the years, we experienced extraordinary change and faced real challenges that were particularly profound in the last three years,” Iger said. “It was daunting at times, but through it all, what sustained me was the passion I saw every day from great storytellers, innovators, leaders and people around the world.”

In his parting remarks during that speech, he expressed confidence in the new leadership team of D’Amaro and Dana Walden, who is now president and chief creative officer of the company.

“I will be cheering on Josh, Dana and all of you as I sail off into the sunset,” he said. “So thank you for the trust you placed in me, for the memories we created together, and for allowing me the honor of serving. It has meant more to me than I can say.”

March 18 (UPI) — Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power said Wednesday that new CEO Kim Hoe-chun has officially taken office to lead the state-run company over the next three years.

The chief executive said that he would establish a dual-track strategy of focusing on large-scale nuclear reactors and small modular reactors, or SMRs, at the same time to gain a stronger foothold in the global market.

SMRs refer to next-generation nuclear power plants, which are smaller but considered safer than traditional massive reactors. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, or KHNP, has worked on its own models, known as “innovative SMRs.”

“We will successfully carry out already secured overseas projects while pursuing tailored bidding strategies to enter new markets,” Kim said during an inauguration ceremony at the firm’s head office in Gyeongju, around 180 miles southeast of Seoul.

“We will develop the KHNP-style integrated management model as an export product and take a leading position in the international nuclear power market through innovative SMR technologies,” he said.

In June 2025, KHNP signed a contract to build two nuclear reactors in the Dukovany region of the Czech Republic. The agreement is estimated to be worth about $18 billion.

The company also has been competing with global players to win nuclear contracts in other countries.

Before taking the helm at KHNP, Kim spent decades at Korea Electric Power Corp., where he held a series of key positions after joining it in 1985. Between 2021 and 2024, he served as CEO of Korea South-East Power, an affiliate of KEPCO.