Sony Chairman Kaz Hirai Sets Summer Departure Date

Sony chairman Kazuo Hirai has announced he will retire from the tech and entertainment giant this summer.

Hirai has set a June 18 departure date after stepping down as CEO last year in a surprise move. Sony says he will continue to act as a senior advisor to management.

“Since passing the baton of CEO to Yoshida-san last April, as Chairman of Sony, I have had the opportunity to both ensure a smooth transition and provide support to Sony’s management,” Hirai said in a statement. “I am confident that everyone at Sony is fully aligned under Yoshida-san’s strong leadership, and are ready to build an even brighter future for Sony. As such, I have decided to depart from Sony, which has been a part of my life for the past 35 years. I would like to extend my warmest gratitude to all our employees and stakeholders who have supported me throughout this journey.”

Hirai began working at Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 1984. In 1995, the gaming industry expert joined Sony Computer Entertainment America where he helped oversee the successful launches of the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3. He became president of the gaming division in 2007 and then group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment International. In 2012, he replaced Howard Stringer as Sony CEO.

Hirai, who oversaw an upturn in fortunes for the Japanese electronics behemoth, was replaced as CEO last year by Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony’s well-respected CFO and internal head of strategy at the time.