Sony Chairman of the Board of Directors Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai announced his departure from the company and the end of his 35-year career in it. Just over a year ago, Hirai stepped down as CEO, handing over the position to former CFO Kenichiro Yoshida. It was Hirai and Yoshida who ensured that Sony moved from a loss-making manufacturer of various devices to a profitable company specializing in electronic components and game consoles.
Hirai will only step down as chairman on June 18, and will continue to act as a "senior advisor" to the company if Sony needs help. “Hirai and I have been working together on governance reforms since December 2013,” Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement. “While he is stepping down as chairman and leaving the board of directors, we look forward to his continued support from Sony management.”
"Since handing over the baton to CEO Kenichiro Yoshida last April, as chairman of Sony's board of directors, I have had the opportunity to both ensure a smooth transition and support Sony's leadership," Hirai said in a statement. “I'm sure everyone at Sony is set to work hard under Mr. Yoshida's strong leadership and are ready to build an even brighter future for the company. So I decided to leave Sony, which has been a part of my life for the past 35 years. I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to all our employees and stakeholders who have supported me throughout this journey.”
Kazuo Hirai began his career at Sony in its music division in 1984 and then moved to the US to work for the company's US division. In 1995, he moved to the American division of Sony Computer Entertainment, shortly before the launch of the first PlayStation, and already in 2003 took over as CEO of the American division of Sony. And already in 2006, shortly after the launch of the PlayStation 3, Hirai replaced Ken Kutaragi as head of Sony's gaming division. In 2012, Hirai took over as CEO of Sony and launched the One Sony initiative, which made the company's operations easier and more efficient.
Source: 3dnews.ru