Earlier this year, Disney fan-favorite Joe Rohde retired from an esteemed 40 years of magic-making at Walt Disney Imagineering but the creative guru is hardly stopping to rest following confirmation today of his new position with Virgin Galactic Holdings. According to StreetInsider, his new role is as a Virgin Galactic’s first Experience Architect; helping design and guide the overall experience journey for future astronauts and space enthusiasts.
Rohde is often heralded as a transcendent creator whose design work leverages careful detailed composition to create authentic and remarkable experiences, the work he is starting aims to stimulate curiosity, guide the imagination, and anchor the Virgin Galactic customer experience with purposefulness and meaning.
Rohde finds himself in familiar company working under Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier who formerly held the post as the president of the Disneyland Resort. Commenting on the announcement, Colglazier said:
“As soon as I joined Virgin Galactic, I knew there was one person we just had to work with to help shape the incredible experience we are developing – and that person was Joe Rohde. Joe has a methodology that is unique, inspired, and truly effective. His track record for keeping authenticity central to the design and creating deeply transformative experiences aligns perfectly with our mission. I couldn’t be more pleased to see Joe choose Virgin Galactic for his first encore!’’
–Michael Colglazier, CEO, Virgin Galactic
