Sophie Turner Laing, Sky’s managing director of content, is to step down from her role later this year after 11 years with the company.
One of the media industry’s most powerful female executives, Turner Laing led the expansion of Sky’s portfolio of entertainment channels, with the launch of Sky Atlantic, Sky Living and Sky Arts, and the growing breadth of its programmes, including its partnership with HBO.
Turner Laing joined Sky in March 2003 from the BBC where she held a number of senior roles including acting director of television. She began her television career at Henson International Television, setting up HIT Entertainment with Peter Orton in 1989 and later moving to Flextech.
“I would like to thank Sophie for her outstanding leadership and for the tremendous job she’s done developing our content business,” said Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s chief executive.
“With the support of an excellent team, Sophie has helped us to make a step change in the scale and ambition of our entertainment offering.
“Sophie will leave with all of our best wishes and I am pleased that she will continue to have a close relationship with Sky in the future. I’m confident that the strong foundations that Sophie has put in place, together with the strong team here at Sky, will enable us to take the business to even greater heights in the future.”
Turner Laing added: “I have had the most fabulous career at Sky. As a passionate believer in creative change, it is now someone else’s turn to drive the next phase of growth in content at Sky. I have been hugely privileged and honoured to work with such brilliant colleagues across the company.”
Sky said it will undertake a thorough recruitment process and announce the appointment of Turner Laing’s successor in due course.
