Norio Ohga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1930-01-29)January 29, 1930 Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Died | April 23, 2011(2011-04-23) (aged 81) Tokyo, Japan |
| Education | Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music Berlin University of the Arts |
| Occupation(s) | Businessperson, singer (baritone), conductor |
| Organization(s) | Sony Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Known for | Sony |
| Spouse | Midori Matsubara |
Norio Ohga (大賀 典雄,Ōga Norio, January 29, 1930 – April 23, 2011), also spelledNorio Oga, was a Japanese businessperson who was the president and chairman ofSony Corporation. He is credited with spurring the development of thecompact disc (CD)[1] as a commercially viable audio format.
Ohga was born inNumazu, Shizuoka.[2] When he was a child, he sufferedtuberculosis that kept him in bed for a long time during which an acquaintance taught himphysics and music. As a young man, Ohga aspired to be a professionalopera singer, and went on to read at the prestigiousTokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, graduating in 1953.
His relationship with Sony began when he wrote a highly critical letter to Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo KK (also known as Totsuko and later as Sony), complaining about their tape recorder's many failings, which got him noticed byMasaru Ibuka,Akio Morita and other Totsuko executives. Because of his insight into music and technology, the company hired him as a part-time consultant.[3]
Ohga went on to study music inMunich andBerlin, where he formed a friendship with the conductorHerbert von Karajan.[4]
Ohga's knowledge of sound and electrical engineering continued to be an asset to Sony, which led to his appointments as executive director of Sony in 1964 at the age of 34 and president of CBS/Sony Records Inc. (currentlySony Music Entertainment Japan) in 1970, by the age of 40. These youthful appointments were unprecedented in the history of the Japanese company.[5]
He was made thepresident of Sony in 1982, and the CEO of Sony in 1989. That same year, he purchased Columbia Pictures Entertainment (currentlySony Pictures Entertainment) from the Coca-Cola Company for $3.4 billion.[6][7] A year earlier, Sony acquired theCBS Records Group (currentlySony Music Entertainment) fromColumbia Broadcasting System. Ohga also played a key role in establishingSony Computer Entertainment (currentlySony Interactive Entertainment) in 1993. He supportedKen Kutaragi to develop thePlayStation as a Sony-owned console.
In 1994, he succeeded co-founderAkio Morita as Sony chairman. The next year, he selectedNobuyuki Idei as the company's next president, a decision he later told authorJohn Nathan appalled 99 out of 100 people at the company, and it led to a sweeping reorganisation of the company. Idei became co-CEO with Ohga in 1998, and sole CEO in 1999. In 2000, Ohga became semi-retired, staying chairman of the board while Idei became Executive chairman.
On November 7, 2001, Ohga collapsed onstage due to acerebral hemorrhage while conducting an orchestra at the closing concert of the 4th Beijing Music Festival in Beijing. He later recovered his ability to speak and move after a three-month coma.
On his 73rd birthday in 2003, Ohga retired from the board and became Honorary chairman. He served as chairman of theTokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.[8]
He died ofmultiple organ failure at a Tokyo hospital on April 23, 2011. He was 81 years old.
His international recognition included theJapanese Medal of Honor with Blue Ribbon (1988),Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (2001) and France'sLegion of Honour.[6]
| Business positions | ||
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| Preceded by | President ofSony Corporation 1982–1989 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | CEO ofSony Corporation 1989–1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | chairman of the board ofSony Corporation 1994–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Honorary Chairman ofSony Corporation 2003–2011 | Succeeded by |
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