Zai Bennett leads BBC Studios Global Content as CEO and Chief Creative Officer, overseeing the UK’s most awarded production company, its number one distributor - and one of the world’s foremost creators of premium content. Since joining in November 2024, Zai has brought a bold, creative-first vision to a global portfolio spanning Scripted, Unscripted, Global Productions, Kids & Family, and Audio - driving innovation across both UK and international markets. Recently BBC Studios brought together all its domestic and international production capabilities, along with its global content sales network, into a single, unified global content studio under Zai, to better serve partners and clients.

His leadership has seen BBC Studios Productions continue to deliver genre-defining hits and record-breaking successes. Recent triumphs include Death Valley, which launched with the biggest overnight audience for a new scripted comedy in 5 years across all UK channels. The Natural History Unit’s The Americas, made for NBC and narrated by Tom Hanks, became the most-watched natural history show on US linear TV in 15 years in 2025, while EastEnders has won 13 major awards in the past financial year, including a BAFTA TV Craft Special Award for its impact nurturing behind-the-camera talent. Meanwhile Baby Reindeer, from BBC Studios’ label Clerkenwell Films, added a Peabody Award to its glut of accolades. BBC Studios was also the most awarded producer at the Broadcast Awards 2026, BAFTA Television Awards and BAFTA Television Craft Awards 2025 and the National Television Awards 2025, including a record-breaking 10th win in a row for Strictly Come Dancing.

Zai also oversees the content studio’s Global Productions business which boasts 9 international bases including its Australia and New Zealand Productions division housing format success stories such as local versions of Dancing with the Stars, The Great Australian Bake Off, The 1% Club and The Office Australia - alongside original productions including Return to Paradise.

Before BBC Studios, Zai was Managing Director of Content at Sky UK & Ireland, where he commissioned acclaimed titles like Chernobyl, Gangs of London, and Brassic, and launched Sky Documentaries and Sky Kids. Earlier in his career, he helped launch ITV2, ITV3, and ITV4, and as Controller of BBC Three, commissioned award-winning shows like People Just Do Nothing and Life and Death Row.