Previously president of Sony Europe, Katsunori Yamanouchi will be attending NAB Show for the first time as president of Professional Solutions America, Sony Electronics as head of the division. With a new focus and a new role, Yamanouchi sat down with SportsTech for a short talk.

 I moved to the U.S. a year ago and have learned a lot, as there are a couple of differences here. This is my 28th year at Sony, and I have always been on the professional business side. Twice I was with Sony Europe, and this is also my second time in the U.S. I also had a chance to cover Latin America so I have gained global experience, which is very helpful in understanding the different cultures and dynamics. 

So why the US? In short, a more simplified market to tackle compared to Europe that has greater implications on the over all market, thanks to Hollywood.

 there are leaders like Sky Sports or BT Sports in the UK, but the market is fragmented as some countries are thinking about advanced technology while others are more conservative. That gives a wide range of clients and needs, a challenge for any companies doing business on the continent. 

With Yamanouchi now in the US, he’s looking to focus on four areas:

 There is no question that we will continue to strive for better imaging technology, with a full lineup. The second area is IP; many broadcast customers are adopting IP. Another big push is HDR; that is a big thing that will change the viewing experience. And [another issue is] how to make our customer’s workflow more productive with wireless to the cloud and file-transfer technology. 

Many believe the holy grail of 4K to be HDR – that it’s 4K HDR that truly showcases what a TV like the X930E has to offer, but content remains scarce and that’s where Yamanouchi comes in. The more he can get broadcasters and content creators on board with modern cameras and equipment that can handle HDR, the better chance Sony has to woo in consumers, turning into a full circle business for Sony. Selling equipment to studios and stations to create 4K HDR shows will in turn help sell Sony 4K TVs.