Sony Europe announces new European marketing team to drive revitalisation through enhanced efficiencies and enriched consumer experiences

Gildas Pelliet, Head of Marketing Europe will lead Sony Europe’s new pan-European consumer Marketing team; revitalisation plan streamlines operations, removes duplication and re-focuses teams, putting unique, emotional customer experiences at its heart.

Sony Europe (“Sony”) today announced the key appointments to its new European consumer marketing team, a single, pan-European team that will deliver integrated insight-driven campaigns, designed to inspire customers and fulfil their curiosity.

The new structure reflects Sony Europe’s transformation from a company made up of ten individual sales companies to a single pan-European company, thus streamlining operations, removing duplication and delivering enhanced efficiencies through a focussed, customer-first approach.

The changes come as Sony focusses on the key strategic priorities set out by Sony’s new global President and CEO Kazuo Hirai: Mobile, Digital Imaging and Gaming - as well as revitalising the TV business.

The new European marketing team will be led by Gildas Pelliet, Head of Marketing Europe, who assumed the position in July 2012. Bringing together expertise from across the business to form one operational team, he will be supported by platform and product marketing heads:

· Dimitris Kourepis, Senior Vice President Global Web Marketing and UX at Sony Corporation of America

· Philippe Citroen, Head of Consumer Marketing, Sony Europe and Managing Director of France

· Taro Kimura, Head of Marketing Project Planning, European Marketing, Sony Europe

· John Anderson, Head of Home Entertainment and Sound, Product Marketing, Sony Europe

· Masato Nakano, Head of VAIO, Tablet and Reader, Product Marketing, Sony Europe. Mr Nakano is also Head of VAIO, Tablet and Reader, Business Development for Sony Europe

· Tatsuya Akashi, Head of Digital Imaging, Product Marketing, Sony Europe

· Tomohito Fukuta, Head of Media, Energy, Peripherals, Product Marketing, Sony Europe

· Mark Gurney, European Head of Customer Insight, Sony Europe

· Laurence Auboin, Head of Marketing communications, European Consumer Marketing, Sony Europe

Using an integrated, insight driven campaign approach they will be supported by in-country marketing heads who will lead local execution.

In the UK, Marketing will be led by Shaun Dorrington. Matt Coombe heads brand and consumer activity. Sony Europe will continue to collaborate with industry leading agency partners as it seeks to deliver against its revitalisation plan.

Speaking of the new European marketing team, Gildas Pelliet, said:

“Every day Sony touches the lives of consumers across the world. Great content has the power to really stir our emotions, be it family moments captured on camera, new music being shared amongst friends or movies that put you on the edge of your seat. Great technology acts as the door to these encounters. At Sony we don’t just make award winning devices. We are here to deliver unique, enriched, emotional experiences that put a smile on peoples’ faces. It’s at the heart of everything we do.

“Europe remains a market of significant strategic importance for Sony. The internal collaboration taking place across our content, devices and network teams is acting as a true catalyst, making us better placed than ever to embark on this journey. By removing duplication, streamlining operations and re-focussing, we are able to improve what matters most: delivering unique emotional experiences that excite and inspire our customers.

“This new structure enables Sony Europe’s marketing team to focus on our key strategic priorities and do what they do best; use their expertise to deliver real impact.”

Sony Europe’s new European marketing team is effective as of October 2012.