SONY CEO

KAZUO HIRAI

President and CEO, Sony Corporation

Since April 2012, Kazuo (Kaz) Hirai has held the position of Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and CEO, Sony Corporation and, in June 2012, was appointed a Director of the Sony Board.

Mr. Hirai previously served as Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation, and President of the Consumer Products & Services Group, overseeing Sony’s entire portfolio of consumer electronics products and digital networked services. 

From 2006, Mr. Hirai served as President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), during which time he successfully returned the PlayStation business to profit and drove the growth of the PlayStation Network, which provided users with revolutionary new forms of online entertainment while laying the foundation for Sony’s subsequent expansion into various online networked services.  In September 2011, he was appointed Chairman, SCEI.

Mr. Hirai began his career with CBS/Sony Inc. (now Sony Music Entertainment Japan) in 1984, where he was involved in the marketing of international music in Japan and later headed the international business affairs department.  He then moved to Sony Music Japan’s New York office, where he led the marketing of Sony Music Japan artists in the U.S. 

In 1995, he joined Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and, in 1999, was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of SCEA with responsibility for overall operational management of the U.S. game business.  In 2006, Mr. Hirai was appointed President and Group Chief Operating Officer, SCEI, extending his responsibilities to the game business worldwide.  During his time, first at SCEA and then at SCEI, Mr. Hirai played a pivotal role in elevating the industry into a hugely significant genre, while at the same time making the PlayStation brand synonymous with exceptional gaming and entertainment. 

In 2009, Mr. Hirai was appointed President of the Networked Products & Services Group at Sony Corporation, enabling him to drive new integration and innovation across Sony’s networked products and services, including the successful launch of the Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited online services.  As of April 2011, Mr. Hirai assumed responsibility for all of Sony’s consumer electronics products and services, together with its global software, sales and marketing and design platforms.

Mr. Hirai received his bachelor of liberal arts degree from the International Christian University in Tokyo.