Sony is shaking up the house just two weeks after the November 17 launch of PlayStation 3. The company announced Thursday that Sony’s game unit president Ken Kutaragi would become chairman, but would retain his spot as chief executive. “Kutaragi will set a long-term growth strategy while overseeing daily operations. But by putting someone in the COO’s position we can allow them to share workloads and add depth to management,” SCE spokeswoman Yoshiko Furusawa said. Kazuo Hirai, who heads Sony Computer Entertainment America, will fill in the slots of president and chief operating officer at Sony Computer Entertainment.
Sony’s Chairman and CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, said in a statement, ”I believe the new SCE management team will work even more closely with Sony HQ. PlayStation 3 is the most important product in the Sony Group. We will work to establish it as a major platform, concentrating significant resources of the group including game, electronics and entertainment,” Stringer said. Other changes included executive vice president and co-chief operating officer Jack Tretton’s ascension to chief executive officer at Sony Computer Entertainment America, replacing Hirai.
