Sony Corp. said Thursday it will reorganize its main electronics businesses and promote the star of its gaming operations to lead a new consumer products division.
The massive new consumer group will be led by Kazuo Hirai, a rising executive who has overseen a recovery in Sony's video game business. The move likely sets the stage for him to one day take over for current CEO Howard Stringer.
Hirai, 50, is one of Sony's most charismatic, recognizable leaders. Fluent in English, he has been instrumental in the success of the PlayStation brand in the U.S. and the rise of gaming as a major entertainment platform rivaling movies and television. Entertainment Weekly once named him one of the most powerful executives in the industry.