Sky restructures Sky Studios & Content teams under Cécile Frot-Coutaz

Cécile Frot-Coutaz (Source: Sky)

Sky is overhauling its Sky Content and Sky Studios teams in the UK under a single leadership team, led by Cécile Frot-Coutaz.

The move will see all of its non-sports content teams in the UK & Ireland coming together Frot-Coutaz, who was most recently CEO of Sky Studios.

Dana Strong (Source: RTS)

She will now expand her role to lead all parts of Sky’s content business in the UK and Ireland, with Sky’s UK & I Content business reporting to her as well as Sky News Group across Europe.

Frot-Coutaz will become CEO of Sky Studios & chief content officer, with Zai Bennett, currently the pay TV company’s MD of content for Sky UK & Ireland, reporting into her.

The reorganisation, which comes amid broader job cuts at the pay TV operator, marks a significant promotion for the former Fremantle and YouTube exec, who joined Sky in 2021 to lead Sky Studios.

Her appointment comes less than a month after it emerged that Sky’s UK chief Stephen van Rooyen would be stepping down, following almost two decades with the company. Frot-Coutaz had previously reported into Van Rooyen, whose remit has been taken on by group CEO Dana Strong.

Zai Bennett’s remit at Sky

Bennett remains responsible for Sky’s output and performance in the UK&I, leading Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema and Sky Kids, along with commissioning for factual, entertainment, arts, kids and film as well as acquisitions across Sky Group.

TBI understands the move is aimed at bringing the Sky Studios teams in the UK and Italy closer together with the Sky content teams, with the news not impacting any projects currently in development or production.

Within Sky Studios, Katherine Butler will continue to lead drama commissioning, while Alex Moody oversees comedy. Both report into Meghan Lyvers, director of original series, who in turn reports to Frot-Coutaz.

Nils Hartmann retains responsibility for Sky Studios Italia and reports to Frot-Coutaz.

Elsewhere, Phil Edgar-Jones leads commissioning for Sky’s entertainment and arts in the UK, with Lucy Murphy overseeing Sky Kids. Poppy Dixon leads Sky Factual and Documentaries, Katie Keenan leads group acquisitions and Julia Stuart leads commissioning for Original Film, with Jamie Morris running strategy for all the Sky entertainment, cinema and kids services. They all report into Bennett.

Frot-Coutaz said: “By bringing Sky’s content teams together into a single structure, we can maximise the benefits of our content business, whilst continuing to invest in original programming across all genres.

“Across Sky Studios and UK&I Content, our teams deliver unmissable Sky Originals to viewers in the UK&I, across Sky Group and around the world. I am excited to work even more closely with Zai and the wider teams as we further our investment in British and Irish content.”

Bennett added: “Our exceptional commissioners, production and strategy teams across UK&I Content and Sky Studios already work incredibly closely together, so this is the next logical step. I am looking forward to collaborating further with Cécile and excited that 2024 is set to be a stellar year on screen for Sky customers across our Entertainment, Cinema and Kids services.”