TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp said on Friday that CEO Kazuo Hirai will be replaced by the company’s chief financial officer, Kenichiro Yoshida, effective on April 1.
Hirai, who stepped in as CEO in 2012, will become chairman of the electronics and entertainment company.
During Hirai’s six-year tenure, Sony has exited or cut back in areas such as PCs and TVs, and capitalized on the spread of smartphones with its image sensors.
Yoshida is widely credited for being behind many of the changes, which have won over investors.
Sony is forecasting record profit for the year through March.
Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Tom Hogue
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.