Los Angeles, California, USA – On 12 January 2023, Gensler announced that former President of Walt Disney Imagineering Bob Weis is joining the global architecture and design firm as Global Immersive Experience Design Leader. A visionary within the entertainment industry, Weis brings to Gensler more than 30 years of leadership creating, designing, and developing some of Disney’s most iconic projects around the globe. As people emerge from the global pandemic, demand is greater than ever for engaging, immersive experiences and more meaningful human connections. Weis’ experience in pioneering large-scale groundbreaking and story-driven experiences further expands Gensler’s ability to drive design innovation, offering transformative value to the firm’s more than 4,000 global clients as they look for opportunities to bring people together in new and exciting ways.
“We are thrilled that Bob is joining our global innovation design team. A creative design force, his leadership and expertise in entertainment design will enhance the ways people interact with and thrive in the spaces and experiences we create around the world,” said Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen. “Now more than, design has the power to shape how we experience life. Bob is joining us just as we emerge from the pandemic as people are craving compelling, visceral experiences in the places where they live, work, and play.”
“At Disney, we often collaborated with Gensler, and I was able to see firsthand its culture of design innovation that transforms the quality of life in our world,” said Bob Weis. “This is what visionary companies are seeking, and what we all are yearning for as we interact with the world around us. Gensler’s commitment to leading the future of design is perfectly aligned with my passion for developing unique, immersive experiences with a diversity of creative voices.”
During his time at Disney, Weis led more than 200 major projects around the world with a capital value of more than $30 billion. From the U.S. to Shanghai, Tokyo to Paris, Weis’ design and innovation imprint has been indelibly left on theme parks, attractions and rides, resorts, and cruise ships. He has also consulted with major clients including Smithsonian, National Geographic, NASA, and the United States Navy, among others. Bob has received numerous industry accolades and awards and remains closely connected to his Disney roots.
In his new role, Weis will collaborate with Gensler’s global leadership platform to envision and bring to life unique experiences for clients across a variety of industries where the firm is immersed – from entertainment, lifestyle, hospitality, retail, sports, mixed-use, and cultural institutions to wellness and workplace.
