Peter Schneider

Peter Schneider is an American film and theatrical producer who served as president of Walt Disney Feature Animation from 1985 to 1999 and then as president of The Walt Disney Studios from 1999 to 2001. He is best known for leading Disney's animation division during the period known as the Disney Renaissance, overseeing critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Toy Story. After leaving Disney in 2001, he became an independent theatrical producer, winning a Tony Award for The Lion King on Broadway and directing productions including Sister Act: The Musical in the West End. He is also a world champion contract bridge player, having won the World Transnational Open Teams Championship in 2005.