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Kaz Hirai

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Kaz Hirai
Hirai at the Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona
Born(1960-12-22)December 22, 1960(age 63)[1]
Tokyo,Japan
Alma materInternational Christian University

Kazuo"Kaz"Hirai(Bình giếng một phu,Hirai Kazuo,born December 22, 1960)is a Japanese businessman. He is best known as the former chairman ofSony Corporation,serving from April 2018 to June 2019, as well as president and CEO from April 2012 to April 2018. He also served as a board member ofSony Computer Entertainmentand chairman and co-CEO ofSony Entertainment.He was noted byEntertainment Weeklyas one of the most powerful executives in the entertainment industry.[2]He led the Sony Computer Entertainment division between 2007 and 2012, and then became president and CEO of Sony in April 2012. Through his tenure as CEO, Sony experienced a resurgence during the 2010s.[3][4]In 2018, Hirai stepped down as president and CEO, becoming chairman of Sony Corporation.[5][6][7]He fully retired from Sony in June 2019, otherwise remaining as a senior adviser to the company.

Early life[edit]

Kazuo Hirai was born on December 22, 1960, inTokyo,where he attended theAmerican School in Japan.[8]Between 1973 and 1976, Hirai attended Valley Park Middle School inToronto,Canada.[9]The son of a wealthy banker, Hirai often traveled with his father across the world to California, New York, Canada and around Japan—a trait which Hirai noted to be a major factor in his later multi-continental business success.

It was his interest in games that later brought him into the entertainment business. After graduating from theInternational Christian Universityin August 1984 with aBachelor of Liberal Artsdegree, Hirai was hired at CBS/Sony Inc. (nowSony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.), where he was involved in marketing international music within Japan. He eventually became head ofSony Computer Entertainment Japan's international business affairs office in New York.

Career[edit]

CBS/Sony Inc.[edit]

Kazuo Hirai began his career withSony Music Entertainment Japanin 1984, starting out in CBS/Sony Inc.'s (now Sony Music Entertainment Japan) marketing department. Afterwards, he became the head of Sony's international business affairs department. He then moved to Sony Music Japan's New York office, leading the marketing of Sony Music Japan artists in the U.S.[10]

Sony Computer Entertainment[edit]

In August 1995, Hirai joined Sony's computer and video game division,Sony Computer Entertainment America.[2]He was promoted to executive vice president-chief operations officer in July 1996.[11]One year later, in 1997, Hirai was credited on his first completed video game. With the release of thePlayStation 2in 2000, Kazuo continued his success, utilizingsecond-partyvideo game franchises such asJak and Daxter,Ratchet & Clank,Sly CooperandSOCOMseries of games. Under his leadership, SCEA continually managed to retain high profits throughout thesixth-generation era.

On July 3, 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Hirai had been made a vice president of its corporate executive group.[12]On November 30, 2006, just under two weeks after the launch ofPlayStation 3,Hirai replacedKen Kutaragias president of Sony Computer Entertainment. While maintaining his positions at SCEA, Hirai also becamechief operating officerof SCEI. Kutaragi himself was promoted to chairman of SCEI, and remained chief executive officer of the group.[13]On April 26, 2007, it was announced that Hirai will be promoted to president and group CEO of SCEI, replacing Ken Kutaragi who would retire and instead take up the role of honorary chairman.[14][15][16][17]

On April 1, 2009, Sony's electronics and game businesses were merged and reconfigured as two major groups: the Consumer Products & Devices Group (CPDG) and the Networked Products & Services Group (NPSG). Hirai was appointed as corporate executive officer and executive vice president of Sony Corporation, concurrently serving as president of the NPSG. He has overseen all development, production and marketing activities at the NPSG, comprising Sony's game (i.e. SCEI &Sony Online Entertainment), personal computer (VAIO), mobile devices (includingWalkmanandXperia) and network service (Sony Entertainment Network,including online distributions of music, video, games, eBooks, etc.) businesses and new business incubation projects.[18][19]Hirai became chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment on September 1, 2011, and was replaced byAndrew Houseas president and group CEO.[20]He retired as chairman of SCEI on June 25, 2012, but remains on the board of directors.[21]

Sony Corporation[edit]

On April 1, 2011, Hirai was promoted to representative corporate executive officer and executive deputy president of Sony Corporation. He oversaw the Consumer Products & Services Group.[22][23]Hirai was speculated to become the successor toHoward Stringer,the current sittingpresidentandCEOofSony Corporation,who was then expected to step down in 2013.[24]

On February 1, 2012, Sony announced that Hirai has been appointed as president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2012.[25]He was appointed to the board at the annual shareholders meeting on June 27, 2012.[26]

On February 2, 2018, Sony announced that Hirai will be stepping down as president and CEO, effective April 1, 2018, to be replaced by CFOKenichiro Yoshida.[27]Hirai remained as the company's chairman and served on the board of directors to help the company transition to leadership under Yoshida.[7]

Hirai announced on March 28, 2019, that he would be retiring as chairman of Sony on June 18, 2019, though he will continue to act as a senior advisor at Sony's request. Hirai stated he was confident that Yoshida would be able to continue the leadership of Sony on his own.[28][29]Following his retirement, Hirai remained as a senior advisor to the company.[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^Sony Corporation."Form 20F (Annual Report) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on June 12, 2010.RetrievedJune 28,2009.
  2. ^abSony Computer Entertainment America, Inc."Kaz Hirai, President and Chief Executive Officer".RetrievedNovember 30,2006.
  3. ^Mochizuki, Takashi (February 2, 2018)."Sony Chief Hands Over Reins After Resurgence".Wall Street Journal.RetrievedMay 24,2019.
  4. ^"Kazuo Hirai, the former CEO who led Sony's turnaround, is retiring".TechCrunch.March 28, 2019.RetrievedMay 24,2019.
  5. ^"Executive Appointments".Sony Corporation. February 1, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 1,2012.
  6. ^"Sony Establishes New Management Structure".Sony Corporation. March 27, 2012.RetrievedApril 2,2012.
  7. ^ab"Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will step aside on April 1st".Engadget.RetrievedFebruary 2,2018.
  8. ^"Welcome to the American School in Japan - the American School in Japan".Archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2012.RetrievedDecember 12,2012.
  9. ^Valley Park welcomed home former student, Kaz Hirai, President & CEO, Sony Corporation,retrievedOctober 18,2015
  10. ^Sony Corporatation."Sony Leadership Team".RetrievedJanuary 28,2014.
  11. ^"Like Sega, Sony Changes Top Execs".GamePro.No. 98.IDG.November 1996. p. 28.
  12. ^Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.(July 3, 2005)."News of corporate executive affairs"(PDF)(in Japanese). Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 21, 2007.RetrievedNovember 30,2006.
  13. ^Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.(November 30, 2006)."SCE Announces New Management Team"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on December 6, 2006.RetrievedNovember 30,2006.
  14. ^"Kutaragi to retire from executive role at Sony".gamesindustry.biz.April 26, 2007.RetrievedApril 26,2007.
  15. ^"Farewell Mr Playstation".mvcuk.April 26, 2007.RetrievedApril 26,2007.
  16. ^"PlayStation creator Kutaragi resigns".CNET News. April 26, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon June 30, 2012.RetrievedJuly 23,2007.
  17. ^"Farewell, Father".GamesIndustry.biz. April 27, 2007.RetrievedJuly 23,2007.
  18. ^"Sony Corporation Announces Major Reorganization and New Management Team Led by Howard Stringer".Sony Corporation. February 27, 2009.RetrievedMarch 5,2011.
  19. ^"Executive Appointments".Sony Corporation. March 31, 2009.RetrievedMarch 5,2011.
  20. ^"SCEI Announces New Management Team"(Press release). Sony Computer Entertainment. June 29, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon July 3, 2011.RetrievedJune 29,2011.
  21. ^"Executive appointments".Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. June 25, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon June 30, 2012.RetrievedJune 27,2012.
  22. ^"Sony Corporation Announces Executive Appointments and Realignment of Key Businesses".Sony Corporation. March 10, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  23. ^"Games business chief promoted to head of consumer products unit, putting him in line to succeed Sir Howard Stringer as CEO".gamespot. March 10, 2011.RetrievedMarch 10,2011.
  24. ^"Sony promotes Hirai as possible successor to CEO".Reuters.March 10, 2011.RetrievedMarch 10,2011.
  25. ^"Sony names Kazuo Hirai as President and CEO; Sir Howard Stringer to become Chairman of the Board of Directors".Sony Corporation. February 1, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 1,2012.
  26. ^"New Sony president Kazuo Hirai gets shareholder approval".June 26, 2012.
  27. ^"Sony Announces New Management Structure; Kenichiro Yoshida named as President and CEO effective April 1, 2018; Kazuo Hirai to become Chairman".Sony Corporation. February 2, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 2,2018.
  28. ^Byford, Sam (March 28, 2019)."Kaz Hirai is retiring from Sony".The Verge.RetrievedMarch 28,2019.
  29. ^Kerr, Chris (March 28, 2019)."Sony veteran Kaz Hirai has left the company after 35 years".Gamasutra.RetrievedMarch 28,2019.
  30. ^Ivan, Tom (June 19, 2019)."Former Sony CEO and PlayStation Boss Kaz Hirai retires".Video Games Chronicle.RetrievedJune 19,2019.

External links[edit]

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Business positions
Preceded by ChairmanofSony Corporation
2018–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by PresidentandCEOofSony Corporation
2012–2018 		Succeeded by
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