Sonia Friedman Productions today announces the departure of Executive Director Diane Benjamin who steps back from the company after twenty-five years. Benjamin departs in January 2026, and will remain a consultant.
Also announced today as part of the start of a major restructure at SFP, Kash Bennett joins the company as Executive Director from late September, from her role as Executive Producer of National Theatre Productions, and as the current President of the Society of London Theatres.
Sonia Friedman said today, “It’s impossible to sum up what Diane Benjamin has meant to me and to Sonia Friedman Productions over the past 25 years. She is a true one-off – the very best in the business when it comes to overseeing a large, international producing theatre company. When she joined, there were just three of us; today, we produce and co-produce 10, 15, sometimes 20 shows a year around the world and our work employ thousands of people annually and is seen by many millions. That transformation is in no small part thanks to Diane’s brilliance, her courage, her unshakable integrity, her loyalty, and her fierce commitment to doing things properly.
“She is a leader, a mentor, a friend – known for her great kindness, her generosity of spirit, and her fierce dedication. She is utterly irreplaceable, and I honestly can’t imagine this company without her. But change is inevitable. Happily, she won’t be disappearing entirely – she’ll remain close and continue to advise us as a consultant – but this marks the end of an extraordinary era. I will miss her more than I can say.
“We are very privileged to have the indefatigable Kash Bennett join SFP, taking up the role of Executive Director from the end of next month. Her incredible track record speaks for itself, and as we evolve to the next phase in our company’s life her brilliance, passion, unique experience and tenacity will prove both an essential and inspirational addition to our team.”
Diane Benjamin commented, “2026 marks 25 years of working with Sonia Friedman and SFP, during which time it has been the honour of my career to have been part of some of the most ground-breaking, inspirational and extraordinary productions worldwide. From Boeing-Boeing to The Netherand Jerusalem, from The Book of Mormon to Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, it has been a joy to work alongside the best in the industry, to work side by side with Sonia and the entire amazing team at SFP. They are the most caring, dedicated and passionate group of people I could have had the good fortune to work with. I look forward to continuing my relationship with SFP and the wider industry, as I move to the next stage in my career.”
Kash Bennett added, “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Sonia Friedman Productions. SFP’s reputation for bold, brilliant, world-class theatre is second to none, and I’m thrilled to be working alongside such an extraordinary team. It’s no secret that I have long admired Sonia – she is an exceptional producer with exquisite taste – and I can’t wait to collaborate with her to bring groundbreaking stories to the stage and share them with audiences around the world.”
Diane Benjamin joined SFP as part of the original team of three staff, having first met Sonia Friedman when they both worked at the National Theatre. She joined initially as General Manager before assuming the position of Executive Director in 2012. Alongside Friedman, she has been at the heart of the company’s success and global expansion.
Prior to that, she worked as Business Affairs Manager at the Ambassador Theatre Group, having previously established and overseen the National Theatre’s Contracts Department from 1987 until 2001.
Kash Bennett is currently the Executive Producer of National Theatre Productions, a National Theatre (NT) subsidiary, where she is responsible for delivering live theatre performed outside of the NT including the West End, Broadway and UK and international touring productions. She has delivered over 40 productions in the last 10 years including The Importance of Being Earnest, Till the Stars Come Down, The Lehman Trilogy, The Motive and the Cue, Dear England, Standing at the Sky's Edge, and Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Before joining the National Theatre as Producer, Bennett was Head of Production for Stage Entertainment UK and oversaw shows in the West End and on tour including I Can’t Sing! (Palladium Theatre), Made in Dagenham (Adelphi Theatre), Memphis(Shaftesbury Theatre), Singin’ in the Rain (Palace Theatre and UK tour) and UK tours of Hairspray, Sister Act and Oliver!.
She is also the President of the Society of London Theatre, a trade association for theatre owners and producers of the London theatres.