Sony ex-CEO Idei, who led digital giant into the internet age, dies at 84

Nobuyuki Idei, who led Japan’s Sony from 1998 to 2005 and is given credit for the Vaio laptop, readied the company for the Internet age and pushed for global expansion in spite of the “Sony shock.”

Nobuyuki Idei, who led Japan’s Sony from 1998 through 2005, overseeing its growth in the digital and entertainment sectors, has died, the company said Tuesday. He was 84.

Idei died of liver failure on June 2 in Tokyo, Sony Group Corp. said in a statement.

Sony Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida said he and the company were indebted to Idei’s vision in preparing Sony for the Internet age.

“During his seven years as CEO from 1998, Mr. Idei made an immense contribution to Sony’s evolution as a global company. In particular, the prescience and foresight with which he predicted the impact of the Internet and engaged proactively with digitalization across Sony amazes me to this day,” Mr. Yoshida said.

Tokyo-based Sony is among Japan’s stellar brands, having brought the world the Walkman portable music player. But it had humble beginnings in the 1940s, when the nation was rebuilding from the ashes of World War II.

Idei joined Sony in 1960, after graduating from Tokyo’s prestigious Waseda University, and worked in Sony’s audio and video divisions. He was appointed president in 1995, and is credited with being behind hit products such as the Vaio laptop.

He became chief executive three years later and pushed Sony’s digital operations under the slogan “Digital Dream Kids.” He also accelerated Sony’s global expansion, including the PlayStation video game business, and Sony’s sprawling entertainment empire which includes music and movies.