Robert A. Iger will continue to serve as chief executive and chairman of the Walt Disney Company until June 2018, according to an extension of two years beyond his already pushed back retirement date. The move to keep Iger reflects his impressive track record leading Disney to successes.

Disney announced the second extension on Thursday and said this would be Iger's last. He will appoint a chief operating officer early next year, which remains a highly contended seat between two company men.

His last contract, which was made official in July 2013, agreed that Iger, 63, was to hand over the Disney reigns in June 2016.

Beginning in spring, Iger began to receive private inquiries from various companies about his next career move after leaving the largest entertainment company in the world. These rumblings even included a small group of sports executives who urged Iger to consider becoming Major League Baseball's next commissioner. Disney's board, on hearing of these flirtations, quickly drew up new plans to arrange for Iger to stay even longer than expected.

Disney's board independent lead director, Orin Smith, said Iger is "the architect" of the company's success.

"Under his tenure, Disney has reached unprecedented creative and financial heights, driving the stock price to record levels and creating extraordinary value for shareholders," Smith said.

Shares of Disney have been hovering recently around $85.50, which is 35 percent higher that prices one year ago. Last year, Disney earned a reported $6.14 billion in profit from $45.04 billion in revenues, up 8 percent from 2012.

These promising financial reports reflect the all-but thriving divisions throughout Disney recently. Its animation studios has been revamped, releasing the smash-hit "Frozen" last November. The addition of Marvel titles like "Avengers" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" have lifted box offices sales even further and the future "Star Wars" pictures will steadily be released beginning in 2015.