Jim Ryan, the CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, is set to depart the company and retire at the end of next March, it’s been announced. Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation boss will be stepping down from his role after more than thirty years with the company.
On April 1, Ryan will be replaced by Hiroki Totoki – Sony Group’s COO and CFO – as Interim CEO. While also continuing with his role at Sony Group, Totoki will “work closely” with Sony’s Chairman and CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida, as well as the management team of SIE, to “help define the next chapter of PlayStation’s future, including the succession of the SIE CEO role.”
“I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners,” Ryan said. “But I’ve found it increasingly difficult to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America. I will leave having been privileged to work on products that have touched millions of lives across the world; PlayStation will always be part of my life, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of SIE. I want to thank Yoshida-san for placing so much trust in me and being an incredibly sensitive and supportive leader.”
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Jim Ryan for his outstanding achievements and contributions over his 30-year career at Sony, including the great success of launching the PlayStation 5,” said Totoki. “The PlayStation business managed by SIE is an essential part of Sony Group’s entire business portfolio. I will work with Jim and the senior management team closely to ensure our continued success and further growth. I am also looking forward to creating the exciting future of PlayStation and the game industry together with everyone at SIE and its business partners.”
“Jim Ryan has been an inspirational leader throughout his entire period with us, but never more so than in overseeing the launch of PlayStation 5 in the midst of the global COVID pandemic,” said Yoshida. “That extraordinary achievement made by the entire SIE team has been steadily built on and PlayStation 5 is on track to become SIE’s most successful console yet. I’m immensely grateful to Jim for all his achievements. Respecting Jim’s decision to finish his long career at Sony leaves me with an important decision regarding his succession given the significance of the Game & Network Services business. We have discussed intensively and have determined the new management structure. We aim to achieve Sony Group’s further evolution and growth through bringing even greater success to the Game & Network Services Business.”