Gensler Hires Walt Disney’s Former Head of Imagineering

Bob Weis, who served as Walt Disney’s Head of Imagineering for 30-plus years, is joining Gensler as its Global Immersive Experience Design Leader.

In his new role, Weis will collaborate with the firm’s leaders on projects spanning 29 practice areas, Gensler said in a press release.

During his time at Disney, Weis led more than 200 projects around the world valued at more than $30 billion. He has also consulted with major clients including Smithsonian, National Geographic, NASA and the United States Navy.

“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 in the release. “Now more than ever, 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 Weis in the release. “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.”

Gensler, founded in 1965, has 53 locations around the world. In 2021, it billed more than $169 million in design fees.