The chair of ZOO Digital Group plc is to step down from the listed Sheffield company.
ZOO, which works with some of the world’s biggest streaming platforms on subtitling and dubbing content, is eyeing a return to profitability after slashing $7.7 million from its annual cost base.
Gillian Wilmot CBE, who joined the board in July 2019, has decided to step down no later than the company’s 2026 AGM. Mickey Kalifa, who joined the board in October 2017, will also step down as a non-executive director in line with best practice corporate governance as he approaches his maximum nine-year tenure.
Their departure dates will be announced in due course, ZOO said.
Nathalie Schwarz, currently a NED and senior independent director of the company, will assume the role of chair with effect from Wilmot’s departure.
Schwarz has 20 years of international board-level experience with expertise in the media and digital technology sector. She was previously group commercial and development director at Channel 4 and group strategy and development director at Capital Radio plc.
She has also served in non-executive roles at Wilmington plc, Matomy Media plc, BigHand, Optionis and Amiad Water Systems plc.
The board has commenced a search process to appoint two new independent NEDs.
ZOO, which has offices in the US, said it has seen an increase in request for proposal (RFP) activity, a sign of an industry returning to business-as-usual following a period of prolonged disruption.
It also revealed that it has been selected to provide localisation, media services and end-to-end services across two major studio customers from which it has since received initial orders.
However last summer BusinessCloud spoke with frustrated freelancers who claimed the firm had not paid them for work completed, with one even involving a lawyer.
Multiple translators and linguists working for ZOO claimed they have had to repeatedly chase invoices, with some considering legal action after months of silence.
An experienced freelancer, who asked to remain anonymous, told BusinessCloud that they had worked with ZOO for ‘many years’ and started to notice changes in 2024.
Wilmot commented: “My six years-plus tenure has been a rollercoaster ride of profound changes in the global streaming market with significant growth and scaling then a series of major industry ‘interruptions’ requiring a significant cost restructure.
“I am confident the business is now well positioned for the next phase of its development as we are repositioned for growth and ZOO has my full support as a shareholder.”