Known as the "Father of the PlayStation," Ken Kutaragi seemed to many a logical choice to take Sony Corp.'s helm as it struggles to turn around its stumbling electronics business and regain its past glory symbolized by the Walkman.
But in a dramatic management reshuffle on March 7, Kutaragi was removed from Sony's board, though he still runs the company's game business. Howard Stringer, a Welshman who had overseen Sony's successful music and movie businesses, was named the new chairman and chief executive -- the first foreigner to lead the Japanese company.
Kutaragi's demotion wasn't for lack of accomplishments. His latest creation, the new portable version of the PlayStation, the PSP, is a hot item. Sony was on pace to sell as many as 3 million PlayStation Portables by the end of March.