Sophie Turner Laing

Sophie Henrietta Turner Laing, (born 7 September 1960) is a British businesswoman and media executive. She was chief executive officer of global content creator, producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group from December 2014 until July 2020. Prior to taking up that role, she held a number of senior positions at Sky in the UK, including their director of film and managing director of content. She previously worked for the BBC as the acting director of television and, along with Peter Orton and Jim Henson, was a founder of HIT Entertainment. In March 2022, she was named Chair of National Film and Television School.

Early life Turner Laing was born on 7 September 1960 to Graham Turner Laing and G. V. Turner Laing. She was educated at Oakdene School, a boarding school in Buckinghamshire.

Career After finishing school, Turner Laing completed a secretarial course and worked as an events secretary for the Variety Club of Great Britain. In 1989, she and Peter Orton established HIT Entertainment, after purchasing the Henson International Television division from The Jim Henson Company. In 1995, she joined Flextech Television working as a buyer of content. She ended her time at the BBC as acting director of television. In March 2007, she joined the executive of the company as managing director of content.

Honours Turner Laing has been honoured with a Royal Television Society (RTS) Fellowship for her "outstanding contribution" to British television, as well as the inaugural MIPTV Médaille d'Honneur for her contribution to television globally. In January 2016 she received the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award in recognition of "extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision in the process of creating television programming."

In the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) "for services to the media".