The Financial Times is reporting that a pending executive shake-up at Sony will name Michael Lynton, current Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO, as chief executive of Sony Corporation of America. The move would put Lynton in charge of not only the company's movie studio, but also its record label, Sony Music, as well as the music publishing venture Sony ATV. Sony executive vice-president Nicole Seligman will reportedly be named president of SCA, overseeing legal and corporate matters and working with both the US and Japanese teams.

The change comes as Kazuo Hirai prepares to assume CEO responsibilities from Sir Howard Stringer on April 1st. Hirai hasn't been shy about stating that the company needs major changes to return to profitability, going so far as to outline a four-point plan this past February. While Sony has been posting massive financial losses, however, the entertainment divisions have been turning profits, small though they may be. With Hirai clearly focused on the consumer electronics side of Sony's business, the new alignment would appear to allow what's already been working at Sony to continue to work, while Hirai prepares for the real heavy lifting ahead.