Comcast-owned European media and telecommunications giant Sky recently all of its non-sports content teams in the U.K. and Ireland under one leadership structure, led by Cécile Frot-Coutaz as she expanded her role from CEO of Sky Studios by adding the chief content officer title.
In late July, BBC Studios said that its BBC Studios Productions arm has named Sky managing director of content Zai Bennett its new CEO and chief creative officer, starting in the fall.
Frot-Coutaz has now broadened the roles and remits of Meghan Lyvers and Phil Edgar-Jones, among others, as part of a new structure of the Sky content team.
Lyvers will lead the scripted group as executive director of original scripted, with Julia Stuart, director of original film, now reporting to her alongside Katherine Butler for drama commissioning, Alex Moody for comedy commissioning and Lyvers’ existing reports.
Edgar-Jones will now lead the unscripted group as executive director of original unscripted “where he will have overall leadership across our entertainment, arts and factual offering,” according to Sky. Poppy Dixon, director of documentaries & factual, will report to him now in addition to his existing reports.
“As part of his remit as executive director, content strategy & performance, responsible for our platform and channel performance, Jamie Morris will also take on responsibility for our compliance teams led by Elizabeth Rowlands, director of content compliance and policy, as well as commissioning of Sky Kids originals led by Lucy Murphy, director of kids content, U.K. & Ireland,” Sky said.
Meghan Lyvers
Courtesy of Sky Studios
Meanwhile, Helen Northrop, director of commercial affairs for unscripted output, will now report to Caroline Cooper who will expand her remit from CFO to include content as COO of Sky Studios and Content. “This means all business affairs, production management , systems and operations, and international financing activity across scripted and unscripted will be under a unified leadership,” Sky said.
Katie Keenan, group director of acquisitions will now report directly to Frot-Coutaz.
The company is also expanding the remit of Sky Studios’ Original Brands team to cover all original scripted and priority unscripted titles across Sky Studios and Content, as well as awards work, the firm unveiled. As director of original brands and international marketing, studios and U.K. & Ireland content, Harrison Kelly will lead this combined unit, with Luke Seraphin, head of diversity & inclusion, Sky Original Programming, also reporting to Harrison. The goal is to “continue to partner closely with producers, talent and the wider creative community,” Sky said.
