Howard Stringer
Encyclopedia
Sir Howard Stringer is a Welsh
-born American businessman and the chairman, president
and CEO of Sony Corporation
.
. He emigrated to the United States
in 1965, and drafted
into United States Army
during the Vietnam War
. Stringer became a naturalized citizen in 1985 and now holds dual US-UK citizenship. His younger brother, Rob Stringer
, is chairman of Sony Music Label Group. In 1978, Stringer married Jennifer A. Kinmond Patterson. They have two children.
Stringer attended Oundle School
in Northamptonshire
and received a Master of Arts from the University of Oxford
in Modern History
. He was knighted
by Queen Elizabeth II on December 31, 1999.
, where he was a journalist, producer and senior executive. He served as president of CBS from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of its entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations.
, a media and technology company formed by US telecoms Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, and Creative Artists Agency in February 1995. He left two years later to join Sony.
). He was made a Sony group executive officer in May 1998.
Since June 2005, he has been chairman and CEO of Sony overseeing the entire businesses of Sony, including its media and electronics subsidiaries such as the Sony Computer Entertainment
, Sony Music Entertainment
, Sony Electronics
, Sony Pictures Entertainment
and Sony Financial Holdings
. On April 1, 2009, he became president of Sony Corporation and ousted Ryoji Chubachi
in what was seen as prelude to broader corporate restructuring. Stringer also serves as executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America. He has been president of Sony Broadband Entertainment Corporation since March 2000.
Stringer previously was head of the Sony Corporation of America
and was promoted to the company's top position as the corporation overall was having trouble with losses and was facing increasing competition from rivals like Samsung
, Sharp
, Apple Inc. and Panasonic
. With his experience primarily in the media industry, Stringer was responsible for the media business of Sony in the U.S. by overseeing the release of the Spider-Man
movie series, among others.
In his capacity as CEO of Sony, Stringer principally resides in Tokyo
, though he frequently visits USA New York City
and China Bejingand Hong Kong
and Los Angeles
for E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Las Vegas
for CES
and UKEngland
London
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
-born American businessman and the chairman, president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO of Sony Corporation
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
.
Personal life
Stringer was born in Cardiff, Wales, the son of Marjorie Mary (née Pook), a Welsh schoolteacher, and Harry Stringer, an English sergeant in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1965, and drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Stringer became a naturalized citizen in 1985 and now holds dual US-UK citizenship. His younger brother, Rob Stringer
Rob Stringer
Rob Stringer is Chairman of the Columbia Records, which is part of Sony Music Entertainment.He is the younger brother of Sir Howard Stringer, who is Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation.-References:...
, is chairman of Sony Music Label Group. In 1978, Stringer married Jennifer A. Kinmond Patterson. They have two children.
Stringer attended Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and received a Master of Arts from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in Modern History
Modern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
by Queen Elizabeth II on December 31, 1999.
Career
Stringer had a 30-year career at CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, where he was a journalist, producer and senior executive. He served as president of CBS from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of its entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations.
Highlights of his career at CBS
- Executive producer of "CBS Reports" (1976–1981)
- Executive producer of "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather" (1981–1984)
- President of CBS News (1986–1988)
- President of CBS, Inc. (1988–1995)
- He won nine Emmys at CBS for the following programs: "The Rockefellers", "The Palestinians", "A Tale Of Two Irelands", "The Defense Of The United States", "The Boat People", "The Boston Goes To China", "The Fire Next Door", and "The CIA's Secret Army".
TELE-TV
Sir Howard Stringer left CBS in 1995 to set up TELE-TVTELE-TV
TELE TV was a media and technology company formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, and Creative Artists Agency in February 1995. The company, based in Reston, Virginia, USA, set out to design a pioneering Interactive TV service with a set-top box that would allow customers to view video on...
, a media and technology company formed by US telecoms Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, and Creative Artists Agency in February 1995. He left two years later to join Sony.
Sony
Stringer began work at Sony in May 1997 as president of its US operational unit (Sony Corporation of AmericaSony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America , based in New York, is the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. It is the umbrella company under which all Sony companies operate in the United States....
). He was made a Sony group executive officer in May 1998.
Since June 2005, he has been chairman and CEO of Sony overseeing the entire businesses of Sony, including its media and electronics subsidiaries such as the Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
, Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, Sony Electronics
Sony Electronics
Sony Electronics Inc., headquartered in San Diego, Calif., is the largest component of Sony Corporation of America, the U.S. holding company for Sony's U.S.-based electronics and entertainment businesses.-External links:***...
, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
and Sony Financial Holdings
Sony Financial Holdings
is a holding company for Sony's financial services business. It owns and oversees the operation of Sony Life Insurance, Sony Assurance, Sony Bank, Sony Bank Securities and Sony Life Insurance . Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.-External links:* * *...
. On April 1, 2009, he became president of Sony Corporation and ousted Ryoji Chubachi
Ryōji Chūbachi
is the vice chairman of Sony Corporation. He joined the company in 1977, later replacing Kunitake Andō to become president of the firm March 7, 2005. He was replaced as president by Howard Stringer on April 1, 2009.-External links:*...
in what was seen as prelude to broader corporate restructuring. Stringer also serves as executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America. He has been president of Sony Broadband Entertainment Corporation since March 2000.
Stringer previously was head of the Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America , based in New York, is the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. It is the umbrella company under which all Sony companies operate in the United States....
and was promoted to the company's top position as the corporation overall was having trouble with losses and was facing increasing competition from rivals like Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, Sharp
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
, Apple Inc. and Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
. With his experience primarily in the media industry, Stringer was responsible for the media business of Sony in the U.S. by overseeing the release of the Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
movie series, among others.
In his capacity as CEO of Sony, Stringer principally resides in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, though he frequently visits USA New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and China Bejingand Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Las Vegas may refer to:* Las Vegas Valley, consisting of Las Vegas and surrounding areas** Las Vegas, Nevada, the city** Las Vegas Strip, the resort destination and location of many of the largest hotel and casino resorts in the world...
for CES
CES
CES may stand for:*Closed ecological system, an ecosystem that does not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system*Constant elasticity of substitution, an economics production function*The ISO 639 code for the Czech language...
and UKEngland
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Awards and honours
- He received the U.S. Army Commendation MedalCommendation MedalThe Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
for meritorious achievement while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. - He earned nine Emmys from 1974 to 1976 as a writer, director and producer.
- In 1996, he was awarded the First Amendment Leadership Award by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation.
- In 1996, he was also inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.
- In May 1999, he received the UJA-Federation of New York's Steven J. Ross Humanitarian Award.
- In November 1999, he was inducted into the Royal Television Society's Welsh Hall of Fame.
- On December 31, 1999 he received the title of Knight BachelorKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. - In February 2007, the Museum of Television and Radio awarded him with its Visionary Award for Innovative Leadership in Media and Entertainment.
- He has been honored by Lincoln Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The New York Hall of Science and The American Theatre Wing.
- He received Honorary Doctorates from the University of GlamorganUniversity of GlamorganThe University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
in Wales and University of the Arts London. - In 2000, he received an honorary fellowship from Merton College, OxfordMerton College, OxfordMerton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. - In 2001, he received an honorary fellowship from Royal Welsh College of Music & DramaRoyal Welsh College of Music & DramaThe Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan Group located in Cardiff, Wales....
.
External links
- "Howard String biography" - Sony Corporation website