Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan will retire in March 2024 after nearly 30 years with the PlayStation business, the company announced.
Sony Group Corporation president, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki will assume the role of chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment in October 2023 to aid Ryan in his transition. Totoki will also be appointed Sony Interactive Entertainment interim CEO on April 1, 2024 while continuing his role at Sony Group Corporation, and work closely with Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida and the management team of Sony Interactive Entertainment to “help define the next chapter of PlayStation’s future, including the succession of the Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO role.”
Ryan joined Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, then Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, in 1994, and has since held a number of senior positions including president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, head of global sales and marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, deputy president of Sony Interactive, and since January 2018, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO.
Find comments from each party below.
Jim Ryan, Exiting Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO
“After 30 years, I have made the decision to retire from SIE in March 2024. I’ve relished the opportunity to have a job I love in a very special company, working with great people and incredible partners. 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.”
Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO
“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. 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.”
Hiroki Totoki, Sony Group Corporation President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, and Incoming Sony Interactive Entertainment Interim CEO
“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. 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.”
And here is an additional message from Ryan to the PlayStation community:
As you will have seen today in the news, I have announced my retirement after nearly 30 years at Sony Interactive Entertainment. I did not take this decision lightly and I absolutely love SIE and our community, but of late I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to strike the right balance between having my home in the UK and my job in the United States. As mentioned in the press release, I will continue my role as President and CEO until March 2024. Effective April 1, 2024, Hiroki Totoki will be appointed Interim CEO of SIE while he continues his current role at Sony Group Corporation.
I feel humbled at having the opportunity to lead a company delivering products that touch millions of lives. From award-winning games to the incredibly immersive technical achievements delivered with PlayStation 5, I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved and very optimistic for the future of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
From my beginning in Europe, it was clear that Sony had built something truly special. Generations later I am still amazed by the excitement and passion of the PlayStation community. It is thanks to you that we have been able to keep innovating and delivering even greater experiences. Since 1994, generations of gamers have inspired us to be better, to push the boundaries, and the results have been incredible.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.