Comcast-owned European pay-TV and technology giant Sky is losing a top executive, as BBC Studios said Thursday that its BBC Studios Productions arm has named Zai Bennett as new CEO and Chief Creative Officer, starting in the fall.
“He joins from Sky where he is currently managing director of content and will take the reins of the U.K.’s most awarded production company, with BBC Studios Productions responsible for seven of the top 10 performing shows in the UK across 2023, including events such as Eurovision and the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla – plus water-cooler drama like Happy Valley 3,” BBC Studios said.
Bennett’s remit will span the company’s U.K. and international production units, including its Natural History Unit, owned labels and invested indies across its global entertainment, factual, scripted, kids & family, and audio genres and “see him bring a creative-first approach to driving the production business forward,” BBC Studios said.
“Zai’s risk-taking creative hit rate speaks for itself. He has impact and gravitas and can propel BBC Studios Productions even faster forward without losing the deeply engrained BBC ethos all who work here share,” said BBC Studios and BBC Commercial CEO Tom Fussell. “His deep genre experience in scripted comedy and drama through to factual entertainment, documentaries, film and kids, coupled with the relationships he’s cultivated with the very best creative talent, will complement our production business growth plans and take us to the next level domestically and globally.”
Bennett himself said: “BBC Studios Productions has a special place in the production ecosystem, upholding the BBC’s unique purpose and values in everything they do, while marrying this with creative commerciality to help export the BBC’s brand around the world as a champion for the highest-quality programming in every genre.”
Sky is led by CEO Dana Strong. In an internal memo, Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz said: “I am writing to share with you all that, after 10 successful years at Sky, Zai Bennett has decided to leave the business to take up a new, exciting opportunity within the industry.”
She added: “I know we will all miss working with Zai. His endless humor, bounce and genuine belief in better will leave a lasting legacy at Sky. He will be with us until the end of August, so there is time for us to say our proper goodbyes.”
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