Sony Corp named Chief Financial Officer Kenichiro Yoshida as its new president and CEO on Friday, replacing Kazuo Hirai, who led a turnaround at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company and will stay on as chairman. Yoshida has experience in Sony’s U. S. operations, as well as its network,
Sony Corp named Chief Financial Officer Kenichiro Yoshida as its new president and CEO on Friday, replacing Kazuo Hirai, who led a turnaround at the Japanese electronics and entertainment company and will stay on as chairman.
Yoshida has experience in Sony’s U. S. operations, as well as its network, financial and investor relations businesses. Yoshida and Hirai shook hands, appearing together before reporters at Sony’s Tokyo headquarters.
Hirai stressed Yoshida will continue the path he had set in place. Sony is about to record its best results in two decades this fiscal year. And both said management must not grow complacent.
“His way of thinking on what Sony must do is similar to mine,” Hirai said on why Yoshida was chosen.
Sony’s board members said they were surprised Hirai wanted to step down. But Hirai said he decided the timing was right to “pass the baton” to the next leadership, although the choice appeared to indicate the company’s determination to stay on track, rather than shift too quickly to a younger generation of leadership. Yoshida, at 58, is one year older than Hirai.
Hirai became president and CEO in 2012, taking over from Howard Stringer, an American. He turned around an embattled Sony, which had sunk into losses as its once prized TV business lost out to rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co of South Korea. Sony is now headed to booming profits, outpacing company targets, as its sensors are in demand for mobile devices made by rivals, including Apple.
