Disney CEO Bob Iger and Steve Jobs built a lasting partnership

Fortune today has a great look at Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, and the initiatives he’s overseen at the Mouse since he rose to power after disastrous leadership by Michael Eisner. I was never a fan of Eisner myself, but I have loved the changes Iger has brought to the company. Inside the story there’s also a good note about how closely Iger and Jobs worked together, and the two seem as perfectly matched as two industry titans can be.

Particularly fascinating is the perspective Iger brought to Disney, which enamored Jobs to no end. Iger sees technology as a functional component of Disney’s mission, and has been embracing it at every turn. He and Jobs would even have whiteboard talks to bat ideas around about “the intersection between the story and the gadget.” I can really imagine Jobs getting excited dreaming up concepts with a CEO of a company renowned for creative innovations, powered by technical innovations. (Side note: Visit the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco some day to see how many technical innovations Disney was responsible for — it might blow your mind.)

While Jobs is gone, Iger just had his contract renewed. This makes me (a Disneyphile to begin with) extremely happy. I hope the continued good will between Disney and Apple goes along with his extended tenure.