Raw Japan
Slices of Japanese business, politics and life
Stringer yet to unite Sony factions
When a Welsh-born former TV journalist was appointed chairman and CEO of Sony Corp in 2005, he set out to destroy the factions dividing the electronics giant and uncover the synergies needed to grow.
Three and a half years later, Howard Stringer’s empire faces its biggest annual loss on record, slammed by a soaring yen, sliding demand, and restructuring costs.
What’s more, analysts say the maker of Bravia LCD TVs and PlayStation 3 game consoles remains as fractious as ever.
Stringer, a dual U.S. and British citizen, was handpicked by his predecessor, Nobuyuki Idei, who was charmed by the Oxford-educated former screenwriter’s wit and vision of technology’s potential.
