Managing director of sony middle east and Africa, Mr. Takakiyo Fujita has been with the tech giant for the past 29 years, taking up his new post in April 2019 following time spent in the USA, Singapore, India, Russia and Dubai. Here, he discusses the Sony philosophy, the latest technology, and how Jafza has helped the business grow throughout the region.
The Zone: Has the DNA of the company changed since you joined?
Takakiyo Fujita: “Curiosity is the key to creativity” is one of Sony’s founder Mr Akio Morita’s famous quotes. Curiosity leading to exploration, innovation and making an emotional connection with our customers is the company’s DNA, and it has not changed. We define Sony as ‘a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology’.
Curiosity leading to exploration, innovation and making an emotional connection with our customers is the company’s DNA, and it has not changed
Takakiyo Fujita, Managing director of sony middle east and Africa
The Zone: What is the latest technology implemented by Sony?
Takakiyo Fujita: As a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation in technology, I can say every new ‘line-up’ of Sony products often feature not one but many technological innovations that enable the product to offer more benefits to the user.
Our new top of the line television range led by 8K Z9G LED televisions and the A9G OLED televisions now have the X1 Ultimate Picture Processor Chip. This very powerful image processor has a unique algorithm specially developed for 8K that can intelligently detect each object in the picture resulting in exceptional detail and contrast for a more realistic viewing. New Sound-from-Picture Reality technologies and the latest Android OS for easy and familiar user interface are other innovations that delivers a more compelling and immersive television experience.
The Zone: Do you think Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are the next big things in the gaming industry?
Takakiyo Fujita: I’m personally really excited about VR, and we’ve seen a great reception from fans in the Middle East to VR titles such as Blood & Truth and Astro Bot. We’re also looking forward to games like Marvel’s Iron Man VR.
The Zone: How has Jafza helped Sony Middle East to succeed in the region?
Takakiyo Fujita: The relation between Sony and Jafza goes way back. We started our sales operation with five GCC countries in 1989 and today we cater to over 60 countries across the Middle East and Africa regions from our regional headquarters in Jafza. Having Jafza as our base has been key to our development and growth. We take pride in being recognised as one of the first few companies to adopt the e-services rolled out by DP World, UAE Region for all inbound and outbound shipment.
Jafza is one of the best free zone authorities, offering the most seamless and advanced end-to-end supply chain solutions in the region. We benefit from extensive infrastructure, business-friendly regulations and world-class facilities. Moreover, our close proximity to the Jebel Ali Port and Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport offers the best multimodal connectivity through sea, air and land – which is integral for supply chain operations.
Thanks to this partnership, I am certain Sony Middle East and Africa will continue to witness increased growth and success in the years to come.