Sony is bracing itself for further restructuring following the formal appointment today of Sir Howard Stringer as chief executive of the Japanese electronics and media entertainment group.

Sir Howard, who assumes the top job at the group's annual meeting, has ordered senior executives to deliver a blueprint for overhauling the company by the autumn.

The shake-up will focus on the sluggish electronics operations, which account for about two-thirds of the group's Japanese 7,159 billion yen (€54.29 billion) revenues but incurred a Y34.3 billion operating loss in the last financial year.

Sir Howard, chairman of Sony's US operations for the past seven years, is likely to face questions on the turnaround strategy when he succeeds Nobuyuki Idei as chief executive at today's meeting.

Mr Idei paved the way for a sweeping management shake up earlier this year when he announced his resignation along with six directors. - (Financial Times Service).