Red Arrow Entertainment Group-owned Cove Pictures has named Paul Sowerbutts (pictured), former MD of Channel 4 Rights, as its head of international programming and factual, marking the scripted content studio’s push into the factual arena.

Most recently, Sowerbutts served as a publishing director for BBC Books, where he managed the BBC and Random House Group joint venture.

Prior to this, he held a number of executive titles, including VP of Zodiak West, MD of Channel 4 Rights and MD of Diverse Productions.

Cove Pictures is a joint venture between Smuggler execs Patrick Milling-Smith and Brian Carmody and the ProSiebenSat.1 Group-owned Red Arrow Entertainment. With offices in London, New York and Los Angeles, the outfit produces high-end drama and comedy and will now move into making factual programs for the international marketplace.

Cove previously struck a “creative alliance” with Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli’s film and TV shop Eon Productions, best known as the producers behind the ‘James Bond’ franchise.