One Carlo Diaz Dubai

Japanese technology company Sony wants more young Arabs to engage with its brand, Sony Middle East and Africa (MEA) Managing Director Takakiyo Fujita said.

Sony recently revealed new products at the annual technology conference CES in Las Vegas, including 8K televisions, 360 Reality Audio, 5G, and the much-anticipated PlayStation 5, one of its flagship products.

Fujita told Arab News that Sony is working toward “enhancing brand equity among Arab customers and the youth in particular.” He described the region as one of Sony’s strongest growth markets worldwide.

“We’ve been registering double-digit growth over the last few years, and keeping up this positive momentum is our main business objective,” he added.

Fujita acknowledged the “many social, political and economic changes” in the region in the first half of the last decade.

“Drops in oil prices have adversely affected countries of the Middle East, as well as the oil-dependent economies of Africa, like Nigeria and Angola. Currency devaluations have affected many African countries,” he said.

Sony MEA was able to recover from such challenges in the second half of the decade, he added.

A recent survey by Arab News and YouGov revealed Sony to be one of the most recognizable Japanese brands among Arabs.

“It has been a privilege to be part of this region’s lifestyle for so many years,” Fujita said. “Sony’s distribution arrangements with some of our business partners in the Middle East region date back to the early days of Sony in the 1950s.”

Fujita said Sony plans to maintain momentum in the “more mature GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) markets” by introducing the latest high-tech products, emphasizing Sony’s vision to strengthen its relationship with the region’s younger demographics through these new offerings.

“In emerging markets in Africa, we’re investing with a long-term market development perspective,” he added.

“In these countries, the focus is on establishing a strong retail network, planning and introducing products that suit the customer’s lifestyle.”