Sony Corp. announces major changes to its structure; Hermen Hulst is no longer CEO of SIE

Bombastic news was revealed by Variety on this Tuesday (28). Sony Corp. has made unexpected changes to its organizational chart and Hermen Hulst is no longer co-CEO of the entertainment division. It is worth mentioning that he continues to act as co-CEO of the Studio Business Group, a subdivision created to run the PlayStation studios. Sony also said that he will lead efforts to transport IPs to other media through PlayStation Productions.

Hideaki Nishino, who was appointed co-CEO and handled the platform side, will now act as sole CEO of the company’s entertainment division, the SIE. In addition, he will continue to hold the positions of CEO of the Platform Business Group and the Studio Business Group.

Sony major changes in it’s structure:

• Hideaki Totoki has been promoted to CEO of Sony Corp.
• Hideaki Nishino has been promoted to CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. He also will hold his positions as CEO of the Platform Business Group and co-CEO of Studio Business Group
• Hermen Hulst has been demoted as co-CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. He will remain as CEO of the Studio Business Group and will lead PlayStation Productions.

The situation demonstrates how confused Sony Corp. is. Previously, the position was held by a single person, Jim Ryan, who retired after 30 years of service. With his departure, Sony announced that the position would be filled by two people, the aforementioned Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino.

Now, the company has gone back on its decision, demoting Hermen. Another notable change was in the position of CEO of Sony Corp. Hideaki Totoki, a 38-year veteran of the company, will take over the position previously held by Kenichiro Yoshida. All of the above decisions were approved by the board and take effect on April 1st.

Totoki said the following:

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been entrusted with the important role of President and CEO,” Totoki said. “My predecessors as CEO, Kazuo Hirai and Kenichiro Yoshida, have greatly enhanced Sony’s value, and I will do my utmost to further build on this success and pass on an even better Sony to the next generation. At our Corporate Strategy Meeting in May of last year, we newly announced our `Creative Entertainment Vision,’ which outlines where we want Sony to be in 10 years, with our Purpose as the guiding principle. Our greatest driver in achieving this is the diversity of our businesses and people, which is part of Sony’s DNA, and our boundary spanners that transcend organizational barriers and organically connect that diversity to create new value. Together with our employees, creators, partners, and our new leadership team, I will work to create a bright future filled with a boundless sense of Kando (emotion).”

Hideaki Nishino also commented on his promotion:

“I am truly honored to take the helm at Sony Interactive Entertainment. Technology and creativity are two of our biggest strengths as we continue to focus on developing experiences that deliver entertainment for everyone. We will continue to grow the PlayStation community in new ways, such as IP expansion, while also delivering the best in technology innovation,” Nishino said. “I want to thank Hermen for his expertise and leadership as he continues his role as CEO, Studio Business Group. I am deeply grateful for the PlayStation community and their continued support and I am very excited for what the future holds,“

What do you think of Sony doing these major changes in it’s structure? Tell us in the comments and join the discussion in our forum.