PlayStation Appoints Hideaki Nishino and Hermen Hulst as New CEOs

Katcy Stephan
·3 min read

Sony Group Corporation and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), the company behind PlayStation, have announced their new leadership structure following the departure of CEO Jim Ryan.

Effective June 1, 2024, Hideaki Nishino will be appointed CEO of SIE’s Platform Business Group, and Hermen Hulst will be appointed CEO of SIE’s Studio Business Group.

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Hiroki Totoki, who has been serving as interim CEO of SIE, will serve as Chairman of SIE in addition to his role as President, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Nishino and Hulst will report to Totoki.

“Sony Interactive Entertainment is a dynamic and growing business that delivers incredible entertainment experiences through the connection of content and technology. These two leaders will have clear responsibilities and will manage strategic direction to ensure the focus remains on deepening engagement with existing PlayStation users and expanding experiences to new audiences,” said Totoki.

Nishino is currently SVP, Platform Experience Group, and leads the team responsible for developing the experiences and technology within PlayStation products and services. In his new capacity as CEO of the Platform Business Group, Nishino will continue to be responsible for technology, products, services, and platform experience. He will also oversee third party publisher and developer relations and commercial operations, including sales and marketing of hardware, services, and peripherals.

“We will continue to connect players and creators through world-class products, services, and technology. We always strive to grow our community even bigger with innovation in every area at Sony Interactive Entertainment,” said Nishino. “I am honored to be appointed such an important role alongside Hermen. By working more closely together, we will be positioned to build incredible experiences for an ever-expanding audience now and in the future.”

Hulst currently serves as SVP and Head of PlayStation Studios, and responsible for developing content across many devices including PlayStation consoles and PCs and bringing video game IP to new mediums such as film and television through PlayStation Productions. In his new role as CEO of the Studio Business Group, Hulst will be responsible for the development, publishing, and business operations of SIE’s first party-content.

“I am thrilled to lead the studio business group and continue to build on our success with PlayStation 5, while preparing for the future,” said Hulst. “The video game industry is one of the largest entertainment industries in the world and has been built on the marriage of content and technology, and I look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of play and entertainment.”

Jim Ryan, who worked with the brand for 30 years, stepped down officially as Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO earlier this year. In an exit interview with Variety expressed confidence in Totoki as interim CEO and affirmed he wouldn’t second-guess Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida’s choice as his ultimate successor.

He shared one piece of advice for the new PlayStation boss, which he contends must remain the “cornerstone” for SIE: “Never forget that we’re an entertainment business. … If we continue to entertain, delight and surprise our community of gamers, I think Totoki-san and whoever follows him will be just fine.”

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