Sony Hires Away Senior IBM Executive

Effective June 1, Bailey takes on the newly created role of senior vice president and chief transformation officer. Bailey will report to Sir Howard Stringer, Sony's chairman, CEO and president, and will be based in Tokyo.

Bailey is charged with overseeing Sony's Transformation Management division and will also work with the company's supply chain/logistics, and common software and technology platforms units.

As general manager of IBM's Microelectronics division for five years, Bailey oversaw 5,000 employees and was responsible for managing almost $4 billion of IBM's business in the electronics industry. The business unit works with clients in the consumer electronics, semiconductor and contract manufacturing sectors, among others. Bailey joined Big Blue in 2002 when the company took over PricewaterhouseCoopers' consulting business.

"We are fundamentally transforming Sony into a more innovative, integrated and agile global company," said Stringer in a statement. "With his extensive experience as part of the team leading transformational change efforts for IBM and other progressive global companies, George will play a critical part in our transformation and will drive change to maximize efficiency and innovation, and help ensure that the new corporate structure put in place in April 2009 is fully effective."