Japanese giant Sony has appointed Kazuo Hirai, the head of its PlayStation game business, to a new key position in a move seen as the first step in anointing him successor to CEO Howard Stringer.
Hirai is a longtime executive with the firm who played a major role in developing Sony's PlayStation business in the 1990s and is credited with turning Sony's games business around from earlier losses.
From April 1 he will become executive deputy president, Sony said Thursday.
Hirai, 50, will run a group that combines Sony's Networked Products and Services division, meaning he will add the likes of TV, home video and audio to his responsibilities for gaming and PlayStation.
The move comes as Sony looks to focus more on pushing its content such as games and music through hardware platforms such as game consoles, smartphones and tablet computers, analysts say, and will be a key test for Hirai.
Stringer, a Welsh-born American who became the first foreign chief at one of Japan's most famous companies in 2005, said Hirai was an "obvious candidate" to succeed him as leader of the Japanese giant.
He added that Hirai's new role was the first step in a succession plan, describing the PlayStation as a "profit centre" for the company.
"This is the first step but we have not made a final decision," Stringer told reporters on Thursday. "It's an opportunity for the board to watch Hirai-san and to judge his performance."
Stringer, who turned 69 last month, said he was staying on as chief executive for the foreseeable future. Under his leadership Sony has more closely melded its strengths in televisions and other gadgets with content.
Facing tough competition from rival products such as Apple's iPad and Nintendo's Wii and DS consoles, Sony has pursued a future vision in which people download its music and movies via the Internet to Sony mobile telephones and TVs.
Hirai is credited in particular with expanding the firm's PlayStation Network system, which boasts more than 74 million registered users and allows owners of the video game console to download games and link up with other gamers.
When the financial crisis hit demand, the electronics giant was forced to undergo major restructuring -- slashing thousands of jobs, selling facilities and turning to suppliers for parts -- after seeing losses pile up.
Under Stringer's leadership the company has looked to cut many business areas while boosting others. Its focus in the television space, for example, has entailed buying parts from others and assembling them under the Sony brand. "The role of Mr Stringer was to choose what to keep and what not to keep. Perhaps, in his own mind, he might have reached the point where he sees a path forward," said Koki Shiraishi, analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets.
Shiraishi added that all eyes will be on Hirai as Sony focuses more on pushing content through hardware platforms such as consoles, phones and computers.
After the planned realignment effective April 1, Sony's electronics and networked service operations will consist of two groups.
The consumer-products and services group -- all consumer electronics including televisions and games as well as services offered through those products -- will be led by Hirai.
The other group consists mainly of Sony's broadcast products, component and semiconductor businesses and will be led by Executive Deputy President Hiroshi Yoshioka.
Hirai in January took to the stage to unveil a new portable touchscreen gaming console, due to hit stores by the end of the year, as Sony tries to mount a fresh challenge to Nintendo and Apple in the competitive mobile gaming market.
The device, codenamed "Next Generation Portable", will succeed Sony's PlayStation Portable handheld device and boasts 3G mobile connectivity and WiFi, allowing users to download games and other content.
0 comments:
Post a Comment