Kodera is a Long-Serving, Highly Qualified Sony Executive
John Kodera has been with Sony since 1992, during a time in which Sony’s principal industry was focused on electronics such as televisions and optical discs. Of course, the era marked an important period of transition for Sony, as president Norio Ohga worked closely with legendary engineer Ken Kutaragi to convince the board of directors that Sony should compete for business in the up-and-coming video game sector. But Kodera himself began his own career working on Sony’s portable audio devices, specifically, in Business Planning, based in Tokyo for six years before coming to the U.S.
Following his tenure in the portable audio sector, Kodera served as Vice President, Business & Product Strategy, VAIO of America, with Sony Electronics (SEL) in the US. He joined SEL in 1998 and held a variety of positions managing portable, mobile and network products, and overseeing functions including Business Planning & Strategy and Product Planning & Marketing.
Most recently, and most relevant to Sony PlayStation, Kodera joined Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI) as senior vice president, and was later promoted to president in April 2013. Working on networking services related to the PS3, PS Vita, and PS4, he instituted his vision, strategy, and execution. His principal goal was to offer consumers convenient access to premium games via a cloud system, as well as digital music and videos throughout a wide array of Sony and third-party devices.
His responsibilities as President of SNEI included strategic planning and business development, the operation of the company’s digital service businesses and infrastructure, alignment of Sony-wide network service activities, and delivery of network service to all relevant device platforms.
