14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Sony Mobile announced that it has appointed a new President and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications. Effective May 16th, 2012, Kunimasa Suzuki will be the division’s new leader.
Also starting that day, Bert Nordberg, currently president and CEO, will step down and will become Chairman of Sony Mobile Communications’ board.
Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Vice President Kunimasa (Kuni) Suzuki will oversee the planning and designing of all Sony’s consumer products and services, the company announced.
He will be in charge with overseeing the mobile business at Sony, which the company believes to be one of its core electronics business areas, and which includes smartphones, tablets and PCs.
Kazuo Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Corporation, notes that Kunimasa Suzuki has a vast expertise in product planning and management, and that he is also great when it comes to helping the company grow in emerging markets.
“He is a strong leader and the right person to oversee Sony Mobile Communications as we establish a new business structure as `One Sony’ intended to reinforce and accelerate our overall business management.”
Kazuo Hirai also mentioned Bert Nordberg great achievements, including the fact that he managed to transform Sony Ericsson from a feature-phone company into a smartphone giant.
“I have enjoyed working with Bert and I would like to thank him for his vital contributions over the years, and I am glad that he will become the Board’s chairman to support Kuni and the management team of Sony Mobile Communications during these critical phases of the company’s integration with the wider Sony Group,” Kazuo Hirai stated. .
Starting 16 May 2012, Kunimasa Suzuki will remain Sony’s Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Vice President, while also becoming the president and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications.
Bert Nordberg, outgoing president and CEO of Sony Mobile Communications, noted that the mobile industry has transformed a lot during the past years, and that Sony Ericsson, now Sony Mobile Communications, did the same.
“We’ve shifted the company from feature phones to a smartphone company, and established Xperia as the Sony smartphone with consumers and operators around the world,” he said.
“Sony is a content, electronics and entertainment powerhouse and it has been a pleasure being part of the Sony team during both the joint venture and through the transition of becoming Sony Mobile Communications.”