Kazuo Hirai took control of the once mighty Sony in April 2012. His first order of business was the unenviable task of turning around a company that hadn't posted a profit in four years under the weight of a strong yen and a poor performing television business. Outgoing CEO Howard Stringer claimed that Sony would have been profitable had it not been for a series of unfortunate natural disasters in 2011 that saw the company suffer multi-billion-dollar losses. Hirai quickly outlined his vision for a more united "one Sony," and in early 2013 the company posted its first profit in half a decade.
Sep 17, 2014
Sony's inability to sell smartphones is costing it $1.7 billion
No more dividends this year as Sony tries to fix ailing mobile business
Aug 12, 2013
Why is Sony still in the entertainment business?
With spinoff proposal rejected, the pressure increases on Kazuo Hirai
May 22, 2013
Sony mulls investor proposal to sell off movie, TV, and music units
Report says sale could finance a reinvigoration of Sony's electronics units
Jan 8, 2013
Sony CEO Kaz Hirai: 'We need to be a more focused company'
The Verge sits down with Sony's president and CEO for a chat
Aug 27, 2012
Sony closing Optiarc optical drive division after losing price war
Sony is reportedly planning to close Sony Optiarc, a wholly-owned subsidiary responsible for the production of optical disc drives.
Aug 23, 2012
Sony Mobile moving headquarters to Japan, cutting a thousand jobs
Sony Mobile, the entity that resulted from Sony's buyout of Ericsson from the famed Sony Ericsson partnership, is starting to make the operational changes it hopes will help it become a more profitable operation.
Aug 15, 2012
Kazuo Hirai: getting to know Sony's CEO
Sony's CEO Kazuo Hirai sits down with Bloomberg Businessweek four months after taking the new job to discuss his plans to turn the company around. The interview touches on cost cutting in the TV business and the devices Hirai uses in his own life.
Aug 2, 2012
Sony loses $312 million in Q1 2012 amid high restructuring costs
Sony's financial results for Q1 fiscal 2012.
Jun 22, 2012
Sony boosts imaging division with $997 million investment in CMOS sensor production
Sony has announced plans to invest ¥80 billion (about $997 million) in CMOS sensor production.
May 10, 2012
Sony reports net loss of $3.2 billion for Q4 2011, annual loss of $5.7 billion
Sony reports a net loss in its latest quarter, with an annual loss of $5.7 billion for 2011.
May 2, 2012
Sony putting IPTV plans on hold because of Comcast bandwidth caps
Sony Network Entertainment VP and GM Michael Aragon says that Comcast's policy of capping bandwidth is stopping the company from making its move into IPTV.
Apr 17, 2012
Sony announces Nasne, a TV tuner and media box to bring the company's ecosystem together
Sony has announced Nasne, a digital media box with built-in satellite and terrestrial TV tuners that will connect to several of the company's products. Many of the features are taken from the similarly-named Torne, a PlayStation 3 TV tuner accessory that uses the console's hard drive to record TV broadcasts.
Apr 12, 2012
Sony will reduce TV portfolio by 40 percent in 2012, look to commercialize OLED and Crystal LED TVs
How do you fix a problem like Sony's chronically ailing TV business?
Apr 12, 2012
Sony to reduce workforce by 10,000 as part of 'One Sony' initiative
Sony has announced it will reduce its workforce by 10,000 as part of a massive restructuring campaign under the leadership of new CEO Kaz Hirai.
Apr 12, 2012
One Sony: Kaz Hirai presents his strategy for recovery
Sony's newly-appointed CEO Kazuo Hirai presented the company's future strategy at its head office in Minato ward, Tokyo.
Apr 10, 2012
Sony doubles estimate for 2011 loss to record $6.4 billion
Sony has just announced that it'll report a record $6.4 billion loss for the 2011 financial year.
Apr 9, 2012
Sony cutting 10,000 jobs, might request return of executive bonuses, says Nikkei
Sony has announced it will be laying off 10,000 employees from across a wide cross-section of its divisions, reports Nikkei. The cuts stem from the mounting losses in the company's TV division, and are expected to accelerate the move toward mobile devices.
Apr 5, 2012
Sony CEO Kaz Hirai to host meeting on April 12th, 'One Sony' strategy likely focus
President and CEO of Sony Kaz Hirai will be speaking at a corporate meeting next week where he will discuss the company's future strategy.
Apr 4, 2012
Kuni Suzuki named Sony Mobile's new President and CEO
Sony's Kunimasa Suzuki has been named the President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications. Suzuki is relieving Bert Nordberg, who will become Chairman of the Board.
Apr 1, 2012
Is Sony rolling out its promised 'unilateral' pricing strategy?
Last month, we reported that Sony was planning to roll out a "unilateral" pricing strategy in the US on April 1st. This would essentially put an absolute minimum on what its retail partners could charge for Sony products, and its starting to look like this new strategy is rolling out as promised.
Mar 29, 2012
Sony's US content business names Michael Lynton as CEO and Nicole Seligman as president
Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton will be the new CEO of Sony Corporation of America, which oversees all of the company's entertainment content publishing efforts, and he'll be joined by a new president, Nicole Seligman, who's getting promoted from Executive Vice President of the firm.
Mar 28, 2012
Sony entering commercial OLED TV partnership with AU Optronics?
ET News cites information from sources that Sony has sent engineers to an AU Optronics (AUO) factory in Taiwan in order to start OLED development.
Mar 28, 2012
Sony abandons further investment in Sharp LCD collaboration
Sony has announced that it will make no further investment in Sharp Display Products Corporation (SDP), its joint LCD production venture with Sharp, following yesterday's news that Foxconn would be taking a 46.5 percent stake. A decision on what Sony will do with its seven percent stake is expected by September.
Mar 27, 2012
Sony reorganizes into 'One Sony', prioritizes digital imaging, gaming, and mobile
Sony is unveiling its new management structure, including several new board appointees, and the addition of UX and medical business groups. The TV division will be placed directly under the supervision of CEO Kazuo Hirai.
Mar 17, 2012
Sony Ericsson rises from the grave for tennis tournament next week
There's no longer any such thing as Sony Ericsson — it's all just Sony now — but try telling that to the estimated 300,000+ attendees of the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament starting Monday.
Mar 7, 2012
Sony tries to pivot back to premium, begins 'unilateral' pricing on consumer electronics
Sony tries a new strategy in retail
Feb 16, 2012
Sony completes Ericsson buyout, Sony Mobile Communications is born
Sony has completed its buyout of mobile partner Ericsson, renaming its mobile division Sony Mobile Communications.
Feb 12, 2012
Sony exploring Vita OS smartphones and tablets, says AV Watch
Japanese site AV Watch reports Sony is exploring porting the PlayStation Vita OS to smartphones and tablets.
Feb 9, 2012
WSJ: Sony's Kazuo Hirai gets tough, says there's 'no sacred area' in company
WSJ is reporting that Sony's incoming CEO, Kazuo Hirai, says he will consider leaving businesses, reducing the company's workforce, and making other "hard decisions" if necessary.
Feb 8, 2012
Sony downgraded by S&P due to loss-making TV division and 'severe' competition
Having suffered a debt rating downgrade by Moody's three weeks ago, Sony is today getting another negative outlook, this time from Standard and Poor's.
Feb 2, 2012
Kaz Hirai details his plan to save Sony
Sony's new CEO, Kazuo Hirai outlined his plan to rescue the troubled company. The four-point plan relies on re-enforcing Sony's core businesses, pulling together its TV business, transforming its business portfolio, and accelerating innovation.
Feb 2, 2012
Sony posts $2 billion net loss for Q3 FY2011 results, forecasts $2.9 billion loss for full year
Sony has just posted its results for the third quarter of its 2011 fiscal year and as expected, the news is not great.
Feb 2, 2012
Sony's new CEO, Kazuo Hirai, plans to cut costs, shake up the company, says WSJ
The Wall Street Journal has published a profile of new Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai in the hours before Sony is to announce its latest quarterly results. While Hirai's history as the man who turned around the PlayStation division is well-known, his plans for shaking up Sony are still a bit of a mystery.
Feb 1, 2012
Sony promotes Kazuo Hirai to President and CEO effective April 1st, Stringer to be Chairman of the Board
Sony has officially named Kazuo Hirai as President and CEO, replacing Howard Stringer in both roles. Stringer will become chairman of the board in June, remaining executive chairman until then.
Jan 27, 2012
EU approves Sony buyout of Ericsson
The European Union has approved Sony's buyout of Ericsson's share in the joint Sony Ericsson venture.
Jan 12, 2012
Sony still working on OLED display tech, developing Crystal LED 'in parallel'
Sony says that Crystal LED will be developed in "parallel" to OLED for future consumer and professional applications.
Jan 10, 2012
Sony Ericsson's rebrand to Sony starts today
With the announcements of the Xperia S and Xperia Ion today, Sony has dispensed of the Sony Ericsson name.
Jan 6, 2012
Kazuo Hirai to be named President of Sony, Howard Stringer to remain CEO
Sony is to name Kazuo Hirai as its new President as early as April. Howard Stringer will remain as CEO and Chairman.
Dec 26, 2011
Samsung buys Sony's stake in LCD joint venture for $939 million
Samsung buys Sony's S-LCD stake for $939 million and establishes strategic relationship to supply Sony LCD panels.
Nov 2, 2011
Sony forecasts $1.2 billion loss for the year
As expected, Sony just announced dismal earnings for the quarter and projected year.
Nov 1, 2011
Sony reshuffles TV division as market upheaval continues
Sony today announced that it's going to reorganize its ailing TV division into three groups, focused on LCD television, outsourcing, and next-generation products, respectively.