24 Facts About Kaz Hirai

Kaz Hirai 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.

Kaz Hirai served as a board member of Sony Computer Entertainment and chairman and co-CEO of Sony Entertainment.

Kaz Hirai was noted by Entertainment Weekly as one of the most powerful executives in the entertainment industry.

Kaz Hirai led the Sony Computer Entertainment division between 2007 and 2012, and then became president and CEO of Sony in April 2012.

In 2018, Hirai stepped down as president and CEO, becoming chairman of Sony Corporation.

Kaz Hirai fully retired from Sony in June 2019, otherwise remaining as a senior adviser to the company.

Kazuo Hirai was born on December 22,1960, in Tokyo, where he attended the American School in Japan.

Between 1973 and 1976, Kaz Hirai attended Valley Park Middle School in Toronto, Canada.

Kaz Hirai eventually became head of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan's international business affairs office in New York.

Kaz Hirai then moved to Sony Music Japan's New York office, leading the marketing of Sony Music Japan artists in the US.

Kaz Hirai was promoted to executive vice president-chief operations officer in July 1996.

One year later, in 1997, Kaz Hirai was credited on his first completed video game.

On July 3,2006, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Kaz Hirai had been made a vice president of its corporate executive group.

On November 30,2006, just under two weeks after the launch of PlayStation 3, Kaz Hirai replaced Ken Kutaragi as president of Sony Computer Entertainment.

Kaz Hirai was appointed as corporate executive officer and executive vice president of Sony Corporation, concurrently serving as president of the NPSG.

Kaz Hirai became chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment on September 1,2011, and was replaced by Andrew House as president and group CEO.

Kaz Hirai retired as chairman of SCEI on June 25,2012, but remains on the board of directors.

Kaz 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.

On February 1,2012, Sony announced that Kaz Hirai has been appointed as president and chief executive officer, effective April 1,2012.

Kaz Hirai was appointed to the board at the annual shareholders meeting on June 27,2012.

On February 2,2018, Sony announced that Kaz Hirai will be stepping down as president and CEO, effective April 1,2018, to be replaced by CFO Kenichiro Yoshida.

Kaz Hirai remained as the company's chairman and served on the board of directors to help the company transition to leadership under Yoshida.

Kaz 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.

Kaz Hirai stated he was confident that Yoshida would be able to continue the leadership of Sony on his own.