Kenji Tanaka appointed as President and CEO of Sony Corporation

Sony Group Corporation and Sony Corporation today announced that Kenji Tanaka, currently Senior Vice President of Sony Corporation, has been appointed President and CEO of Sony Corporation, effective April 1, 2026. Kimio Maki, currently serving as President and CEO of Sony Corporation, will become Director and Chairman of Sony Corporation, effective the same day.

Kenji Tanaka has also been appointed Business CEO of Sony Group Corporation, reporting to Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation effective April 1, 2026.

Comment from Kimio Maki

Based on the Sony Group’s purpose to “fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology,” Sony Corporation’s mission is to “create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,” and we aim to establish a business structure for maintaining profitability and growth strategy.

Amidst a rapidly changing business environment, a smooth transition to a management structure that focuses on the next generation is essential to sustainable growth, and we have determined that now is the optimal timing. Kenji Tanaka, who will take over management from me, has led our creation technology initiatives, primarily in the imaging business, and has earned the trust of creators and business partners. I look forward to seeing how he will create the future together with employees around the world.

Comment from Kenji Tanaka

I am incredibly honored to have been appointed President and CEO of Sony Corporation, and humbled by the significantresponsibilities inherent in this role. Based on our mission to “create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,” I aim to contribute to the Sony Group’s “Creative Entertainment Vision” by further concentrating corporate resources on creation technology. Together with creators and employees around the world, I will strive to fill the world with new Kando*.”

Tanaka will now lead the Entertainment, Technology & Services Business end of things. The previous CEO change was 5 years ago in 2021. I am certain I did not cover the previous CEO change, as I would remember.

Tanaka joined Sony in 1989, where he worked in the Camera division for about 30 years, before being appointed an Executive in 2021 and put in charge of all businesses which included televisions, smartphones, and headphones. He graduated from Tokyo University in 1989 with an Engineering degree, meaning he definitely has a technical background, and not business.

It will be interesting whether his past ventures at Sony will influence his future decisions, especially with regards to Xperia and Audio. I am wondering Tanaka was somehow partly involved/responsible for the Sony/TCL deal.

I would imagine the product roadmap for the rest of this year is most likely set, so any potential major changes could first appear next year in 2027.

Source: Sony, Nikkei