Kaz Hirai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kaz Hirai
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Hirai at the Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona
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| Born | December 22, 1960 Tokyo, Japan
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| Alma mater | International Christian University |
Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai (平井 一夫, Hirai Kazuo, born December 22, 1960) is a Japanese businessman. He is famous for being a top leader at Sony Corporation. He was the chairman of Sony from April 2018 to June 2019. Before that, he was the president and CEO of Sony from April 2012 to April 2018.
Kaz Hirai also worked as a board member for Sony Computer Entertainment, which makes PlayStation games. He was also a chairman and co-CEO of Sony Entertainment. Many people saw him as one of the most powerful leaders in the entertainment world. He led the Sony Computer Entertainment division from 2007 to 2012. Then, he became the main boss of Sony in 2012. Under his leadership, Sony became very successful again in the 2010s. He retired from Sony in June 2019.
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Early Life and Education
Kazuo Hirai was born on December 22, 1960, in Tokyo, Japan. He went to the American School in Japan. From 1973 to 1976, he also attended Valley Park Middle School in Toronto, Canada. His father was a rich banker, so Kaz often traveled with him. They visited places like California, New York, Canada, and different parts of Japan. Hirai said that this travel helped him a lot in his later business career.
His love for games led him into the entertainment business. After finishing his studies at the International Christian University in August 1984, Hirai started working at CBS/Sony Inc. This company is now called Sony Music Entertainment Japan. He helped market international music in Japan. Later, he became the head of international business for Sony Computer Entertainment Japan in New York.
Career Journey
Starting at Sony Music
Kazuo Hirai began his career at Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 1984. He started in the marketing department of CBS/Sony Inc. After that, he became the head of Sony's international business. He then moved to Sony Music Japan's New York office. There, he helped market Japanese music artists in the United States.
Leading PlayStation
In August 1995, Hirai joined Sony's video game division, Sony Computer Entertainment America. He quickly moved up, becoming an executive vice president in July 1996. In 1997, he was first recognized for his work on a video game.
When the PlayStation 2 came out in 2000, Kazuo continued to be very successful. He helped bring popular game series like Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, and SOCOM to PlayStation. Under his leadership, Sony's game division made a lot of money during the PlayStation 2 era.
On July 3, 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Hirai was made a vice president. On November 30, 2006, shortly after the PlayStation 3 launched, Hirai took over from Ken Kutaragi as president of Sony Computer Entertainment. He also became the chief operating officer.
On April 26, 2007, it was announced that Hirai would become the president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. He replaced Ken Kutaragi, who retired.
On April 1, 2009, Sony combined its electronics and game businesses. Hirai was put in charge of the Networked Products & Services Group (NPSG). This group included Sony's game businesses (like PlayStation), personal computers (VAIO), mobile devices (like Walkman and Xperia), and online services (Sony Entertainment Network). Hirai became chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment on September 1, 2011. He retired as chairman on June 25, 2012, but stayed on the board of directors.
Leading Sony Corporation
On April 1, 2011, Hirai was promoted to a top role at Sony Corporation. He oversaw the Consumer Products & Services Group. Many people thought he would become the next CEO of Sony.
On February 1, 2012, Sony announced that Kaz Hirai was chosen as the new president and chief executive officer. He officially started this role on April 1, 2012. He joined the company's main board on June 27, 2012.
On February 2, 2018, Sony announced that Hirai would step down as president and CEO. This happened on April 1, 2018. Kenichiro Yoshida took over his role. Hirai stayed on as the company's chairman to help with the change in leadership.
On March 28, 2019, Hirai announced he would retire as chairman of Sony on June 18, 2019. He said he would still be a senior advisor if Sony needed him. Hirai felt confident that Yoshida could lead Sony well on his own. He fully retired from his senior advisor role in June 2024.
Nickname
Kazuo Hirai is often called "Kaz" for short. In Japan, he also has a fun nickname: "Ridge Hirai." This nickname came from an event in 2006. During a presentation for the PSP, he got very excited and shouted "Riiiiidge Racer!" while showing the game. He knows about this nickname and even mentioned it in his autobiography.
See also
In Spanish: Kazuo Hirai para niños
