Sony Corp.'s Online Head Tim Schaaf to Step Down

TOKYO – The head of Sony Corp.'s Sony Network Entertainment International unit, Tim Schaaff, will step down at the end of the year, with Andy House taking on oversight of Sony’s online platforms, which Schaaff has overseen, the company said Thursday.

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Sony described House's promotion as a “transition.” A spokesperson for the company declined to provide details to The Hollywood Reporter on how long the transition period would be. Amid expectations of possible further executive changes, the spokesman also declined to comment on possible further management reshuffles at the struggling entertainment to electronics group.  

House, who took over Sony CEO Kaz Hirai’s roles of president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCEI) last September, will assume Schaaff’s duties starting in January, in addition to his current responsibilities.

Schaaff joined Sony America from Apple in 2005 and was tasked by former CEO Howard Stringer with delivering a unified entertainment experience across the company’s hardware devices and looking for ways in which the consumer electronics operations could co-operate with Sony's movie, music and video games units.

Although Schaaff was at the helm of SNEI during the hacking and data leakage incidents on the PlayStation Network in April last year, Sony says the move came at the executive’s own request.

Schaaff will continue to act as an external director at SNEI.  

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