LOS ANGELES, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Walt Disney Company elected former Procter & Gamble (P&G) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John E. Pepper Jr. as its new non-executive chairman, said the company in a statement on Wednesday.

    Pepper will officially take the post on Jan. 1, 2007, succeeding George J. Mitchell, who has held the post since March, 2004.

    Last December, the Disney board asked Mitchell to postpone his retirement which was originally scheduled to be announced at the 2006 annual shareholders meeting and to stand for re-election to facilitate an orderly chairman succession process.

    The 67-year-old Pepper was named P&G's chairman and CEO in 1995,and retired in 2002 after 38 years with the consumer products giant.

    He had served as vice president for Finance and Administration at Yale University from 2004, and is currently CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. He joined the Disney board earlier this year.

    "Since joining the Disney board, John has quickly immersed himself in our business and shared his broad and deep expertise incorporate management, global brand building and leadership development," said Robert Iger, Disney's president and CEO.

    Disney would benefit from Pepper's outstanding leadership skills and unique experience in cultivating global brands, said Iger.

    Pepper said he was "incredibly honored to be elected the next chairman of the world's preeminent entertainment company."

    He vowed to continue close collaboration with Disney directors and senior management staff, saying the company would go on taking full advantage of the "significant and exciting opportunities" to grow and build its brands and businesses worldwide. Enditem