Sky ups Bennett to top UK, Ireland role

European satcaster Sky has promoted Zai Bennett to director of programmes for Sky Entertainment UK and Ireland.

Bennett, previously head of premium drama channel Sky Atlantic in the UK and Ireland, will now take on overall leadership of the UK Sky Entertainment team.

Bennett’s promotion follows the departure of head of non-scripted commissioning Celia Taylor, who announced she was leaving the firm last week after seven years.

Taylor will be replaced by director of Sky Arts and non-scripted Phil Edgar-Jones, who will now work under Bennett – who effectively takes over Stuart Murphy’s old role.

Also working under Bennett will be director of Sky1 and Sky Living Adam MacDonald, head of comedy Jon Mountague and head of kids content Lucy Murphy.

Head of drama Anne Mensah and head of acquisitions Sarah Wright will continue to report to MD of content Gary Davey.

Bennett will continue to lead Sky Atlantic, while scheduler Jamie Morris will take on the new position of channel director for the channel. Bennett joined Sky in 2014 from youth-skewing channel BBC3 where he was controller. Before that he spent 12 years at commercial broadcaster ITV.

“Zai has been a key member of the content team since 2014 and in that time has done an outstanding job of managing and curating the brilliant Sky Atlantic brand,” said Davey.

“The changes announced today will enable us to have a clearer focus for the content plan in the UK and Ireland while other members of my team continue to have responsibilities to both the UK and the rest of Europe.”