Sony Appoints Former PlayStation Exec Lin Tao as First Woman CFO Role at Company
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As you may know, Hiroki Totoki, the current President of Sony, will take over as the CEO in April. However, this is not the most surprising news for the members of Sony’s executive team.
The more interesting development is that Lin Tao has become the new CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of Sony, a position that many expected would go to Naoya Horii, who was considered a favorite of Totoki. Tao’s appointment makes her the first woman to hold the CFO position at Sony.
If you think this is a minor change, you are mistaken. In general, becoming the CFO is the first step toward becoming the company’s president and CEO.
Who is Lin Tao?
Lin Tao joined Sony in 2000, where she worked in the gaming division responsible for PlayStation and in the mobile phone sector. In 2016, she moved to the CEO’s office, working closely with former president Kazuo Hirai and his successor, Kenichiro Yoshida.
In 2021, Tao started her current role as Vice President overseeing finance, business development, and strategy for Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). Tao played a key role in several major acquisitions, including the $3.7 billion purchase of Bungie.
When Totoki took charge of SIE as president in 2023 and then as interim CEO the following year, Tao became his right-hand in restructuring the company.
Tao has received praise for her business acumen, with some saying she is not afraid to voice opinions that go against top management. She is seen as a global talent with a deep understanding of the business world. People who know her describe her as logical, reflective, and good at putting people at ease. She has an ability to connect with people from different backgrounds. “A female CFO would have an impact in terms of diversity,” said a Sony Group executive.
Her promotion is significant because “they probably wouldn’t make her CFO unless they had the intention of making her the next president,” said a former executive. However, there are other potential candidates for the position, such as Chief Digital Officer Tsuyoshi Kodera and Hideaki Nishino, the incoming president and CEO of SIE.
“The appointment of the next president is still a long way off, and we don’t know if Tao will be the president,” said a current Sony Group executive. However, the fact that there is a possibility now is new for the company.
In other news, in January 2025, the company made a big shift in its leadership structure. Former Guerrilla Games head, Herman Hulst, was initially appointed co-CEO alongside Hideaki Nishino. However, after challenges faced by live-service games, Sony likely decided to make Nishino the sole CEO.
[Source: Nikkei Asia (paywalled)]
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