Report: James Murdoch Won't Be Joining Disney

James Murdoch

James Murdoch, the 21st Century Fox chief executive, is planning to strike out on his own if Fox’s pending deal to sell much of the company to Walt Disney Co. closes, most likely by starting a venture-capital fund to invest in digital and international media businesses, according to The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter.

Lachlan Murdoch, James’s older brother, is expected to become chief executive of the remaining Fox company, so-called New Fox, according to people familiar with the matter.

After Disney last December announced an agreement to purchase the bulk of Fox for $52.4 billion, people close to the deal said James Murdoch could wind up taking a senior position at Disney.

On an earnings call in December, CEO Robert Iger said that James Murdoch would help integrate the companies “and during that period of time, he and I will continue to discuss whether there is a role for him here or not.” Inside Disney, a role for him was always seen as uncertain, according to people familiar with the matter.

In recent weeks James Murdoch has begun to tell associates that he isn’t going to Disney, according to people familiar with the matter.