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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 64)[1]
Tokyo, Japan
Alma materInternational Christian University

Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai (平井 一夫, Hirai Kazuo, born December 22, 1960) is a Japanese businessman. He is best known as the former chairman of Sony 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 of Sony Computer Entertainment and chairman and co-CEO of Sony Entertainment. He was noted by Entertainment Weekly as 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, and retired from his role as a senior adviser to the company in June 2024.

Early life

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Kazuo Hirai was born on December 22, 1960, in Tokyo, where he attended the American School in Japan.[8] Between 1973 and 1976, Hirai attended Valley Park Middle School in Toronto, 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 the International Christian University in August 1984 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, Hirai was hired at CBS/Sony Inc. (now Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.), where he was involved in marketing international music within Japan. He eventually became head of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan's international business affairs office in New York.

Career

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CBS/Sony Inc.

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Kazuo Hirai began his career with Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 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

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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 the PlayStation 2 in 2000, Kazuo continued his success, utilizing second-party video game franchises such as Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper and SOCOM series of games. Under his leadership, SCEA continually managed to retain high profits throughout the sixth-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 of PlayStation 3, Hirai replaced Ken Kutaragi as president of Sony Computer Entertainment. While maintaining his positions at SCEA, Hirai also became chief operating officer of 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 (including Walkman and Xperia) 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 by Andrew House as 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

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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 to Howard Stringer, the current sitting president and CEO of Sony 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 CFO Kenichiro 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]

Nickname

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His real name is "Kazuo(一夫)," but he is commonly known by the shortened version, "Kaz." In Japan, he is also affectionately called "Ridge Hirai(リッジ平井)." This nickname comes from the 2006 E3 event, where, during a PSP presentation, he passionately shouted "Riiiiidge Racer!" while demonstrating the game. He is aware of this nickname and even mentions it in his autobiography.[31]


References

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  1. ^ Sony Corporation. "Form 20F (Annual Report) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. "Kaz Hirai, President and Chief Executive Officer". Retrieved November 30, 2006.
  3. ^ Mochizuki, Takashi (February 2, 2018). "Sony Chief Hands Over Reins After Resurgence". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  4. ^ "Kazuo Hirai, the former CEO who led Sony's turnaround, is retiring". TechCrunch. March 28, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  5. ^ "Executive Appointments". Sony Corporation. February 1, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  6. ^ "Sony Establishes New Management Structure". Sony Corporation. March 27, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will step aside on April 1st". Engadget. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  8. ^ "Welcome to the American School in Japan - the American School in Japan". Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  9. ^ Valley Park welcomed home former student, Kaz Hirai, President & CEO, Sony Corporation, retrieved October 18, 2015
  10. ^ Sony Corporatation. "Sony Leadership Team". Retrieved January 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 from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
  13. ^ Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (November 30, 2006). "SCE Announces New Management Team" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
  14. ^ "Kutaragi to retire from executive role at Sony". gamesindustry.biz. April 26, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  15. ^ "Farewell Mr Playstation". mvcuk. April 26, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  16. ^ "PlayStation creator Kutaragi resigns". CNET News.com. April 26, 2007. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
  17. ^ "Farewell, Father". GamesIndustry.biz. April 27, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
  18. ^ "Sony Corporation Announces Major Reorganization and New Management Team Led by Howard Stringer". Sony Corporation. February 27, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
  19. ^ "Executive Appointments". Sony Corporation. March 31, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
  20. ^ "SCEI Announces New Management Team" (Press release). Sony Computer Entertainment. June 29, 2011. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  21. ^ "Executive appointments". Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. June 25, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  22. ^ "Sony Corporation Announces Executive Appointments and Realignment of Key Businesses". Sony Corporation. March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 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.com. March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  24. ^ "Sony promotes Hirai as possible successor to CEO". Reuters. March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 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. Retrieved February 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. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  28. ^ Byford, Sam (March 28, 2019). "Kaz Hirai is retiring from Sony". The Verge. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  29. ^ Kerr, Chris (March 28, 2019). "Sony veteran Kaz Hirai has left the company after 35 years". Gamasutra. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  30. ^ Ivan, Tom (June 19, 2019). "Former Sony CEO and PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai retires". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  31. ^ 平井一夫『ソニー再生 変革を成し遂げた「異端のリーダーシップ」』,日本経済新聞出版,2021年7月
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Business positions
Preceded by Chairman of Sony Corporation
2018–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President and CEO of Sony Corporation
2012–2018 		Succeeded by
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