Hiroki Totoki Named Sony CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida to Remain as Chairman

Sony Group revealed Wednesday that current president Hiroki Totoki will be elevated to the position of CEO, starting April 1, in the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant’s first major leadership change in seven years. Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida will continue in the sole role of chairman.

Sony suggested that the promotion of Totoki will continue to accelerate its recent strategy of focussing on entertainment and leveraging IP for growth. 

“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,” Totoki said in a a statement. “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.”

Totoki was named president of Sony in April 2023. He has also been serving as the electronic and entertainment giant’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer.  

In what now appears to have been a preview of his coming leadership at the helm of Sony, Totoki led the company’s presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this month. During the trade show, Sony revealed that investments in Japanese anime would be a new pillar of its global business strategy, as the company seeks to leverage its IP and production capabilities across entertainment, music and gaming. 

“Anime is a global phenomenon with a passionate community,” Totoki told THR at the time. “Sony is committed to enriching the fan experience, by transforming fan-favorite stories into anime and bringing them to a worldwide audience.”

At CES, Sony also revealed that its anime units Crunchyroll and Aniplex would be collaborating on a series adaptation of the blockbuster PlayStation samurai adventure game Ghost of Tsushima. A feature film adaptation of the property is also under development at Sony Pictures. The adaptations follow related cross-platform hits like the HBO series The Last of Us, based on the hit PlayStation games.

Deepening its access to such IP, Sony spent $320 million to increase its stake to 10 percent in Kadokawa, one of Japan’s leading producers of manga, anime and games, including the hit Elden Ring franchise. 

“Totoki has been a key member of the management team ever since I became president and CEO in April 2018. He spearheaded growth strategies for the Sony Group, such as our investments in content IP and semiconductors, and is a leader capable of shaping our vision and strategy for future growth,” said outgoing Sony CEO Yoshida on Wednesday. “Going forward, I will support Totoki as he leads his new management team.”