In this exclusive email interview, we sit down with Jobin Joejoe, the Managing Director of Sony Middle East and Africa (MEA), to explore his inspiring journey, leadership insights, and vision for the future. With a career rooted in a childhood fascination with Sony and a passion for sales, Joejoe has risen to helm one of the most dynamic regions for the global tech giant.
- What motivated you to pursue a career in the consumer electronics industry, and what does your journey look like?
I’m a big believer in destiny and I think this is a classic example. As a child, I was extremely fascinated by Sony, further supported by my interest in sales. Fast forward to 2007, the opportunity arose to be a part of the team at Sony and the rest is history.
2. Can you share some of the key challenges you faced when transitioning to the role of Managing Director at Sony MEA?
Transitioning to the role of Managing Director presented opportunities particularly in navigating the dynamic and often unpredictable market landscape. The Middle East and Africa region is marked by significant economic disparities, even within the GCC, where varying levels of growth and consumer spending patterns require a nuanced approach with geopolitical risks across the region shaping market conditions,
At Sony, we see these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. I strongly believe that personal development is a lifelong journey, and this transition has reinforced that mindset. Our biggest strength lies in our diverse and talented team, which fosters a culture of resilience and innovation and strive to create a culture where new challenges are embraced without the fear of failure.
3. What is your vision for Sony Middle East and Africa in the coming years?
Establishing a business structure that continues to drive profitability and sustainable growth. To achieve this, we are focused on three key measures: reducing volatility, accelerating growth, and strengthening our sustainability initiatives.
Reducing volatility means enhancing operational efficiency, optimizing our supply chain, and adapting to the dynamic market conditions across the region. By accelerating growth, we aim to expand our product offerings, leverage new technologies, and strengthen our presence in high-potential markets. Sustainability is also a core pillar of our vision—we are committed to initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint while staying deeply connected with our customers.
4. What specific goals do you have for Sony MEA in 2025?
At Sony our goal is to continue pioneering new frontiers as a creative entertainment company, working closely with creators to bring innovative experiences to our audiences. We aim to empower creativity by breathing life into new stories, connecting and amplifying the worlds of beloved narratives, and expanding our IP into unique and engaging experiences.
By leveraging Sony’s cutting-edge technology and deep-rooted expertise in entertainment, we seek to redefine how consumers in the region interact with content—whether through immersive gaming, high-quality audiovisual experiences, or breakthrough innovations in digital storytelling. Our commitment is to stay at the forefront of entertainment, delivering experiences that inspire and resonate with our customers across the Middle East and Africa.
5. How do you plan to adapt Sony’s strategies to meet the unique demands of the Middle East and African markets?
We operate in the Middle East and African markets through a hub and spoke model covering the entire region. All our initiatives involve a strategic focus on localization, innovation, and strategic partnerships to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
- Are there any particular market trends you foresee impacting your business strategy in the region?
Our customers have always been a benchmark to define our strategy and expectations in terms of demand and growth especially in the audio and content creation segment. We will continue to bring cutting edge technology to support the emerging needs of this region such as the Alpha 9 III – the world’s first full-frame image sensor camera with a global shutter system, capturing the moment in real-time.
In the premium audio segment, we have introduced the ULT Power Sound series, a new series of speakers and headphones boasting deep bass, powerful sound and advanced functionality using the ULT button. We have steered our efforts towards catering to various age groups and preferences and with the ULT Wear, we have made it easier for consumers to embrace new technologies with an attractive price point, swivel fold design and an attractive choice of colours to suit their needs.
- What emerging technologies do you believe will shape the consumer electronics landscape in the next few years?
Every once in a while, a new piece of technology comes along that really changes the way we operate and innovate whether it is taking photographs or entering into an immersive space with the noise cancelling headphones. At Sony, we empower creators to express themselves in new ways by adopting new technology and ideas empowering all genres of content creation to get closer to our customers and drive overall growth and innovation. To support this growth, we introduced Mirrorless Technology through our Alpha digital imaging lineup, cognitive processing with the Sony BRAVIA, 360 spatial sound mapping and the award winning 1000x series in the noise cancellation headphones category.
- How is Sony leveraging innovation to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving tech market?
At Sony, one of the key areas driving our competitiveness has been the adoption of AI-driven technologies, not only in our latest product innovations but also in enhancing our day-to-day operations.
AI-driven technologies have been seamlessly integrated into our product offerings to enhance user experiences. In Home Entertainment, our BRAVIA TVs feature Voice Search, allowing users to control their TVs through voice commands, simplifying content discovery and smart home integration. In Digital Imaging, Sony’s advanced AI capabilities enable our cameras to recognize and track various subjects—including people, animals, and vehicles—by analyzing their shape and movement. This intelligent automation optimizes autofocus and exposure settings, ensuring the best possible shot in every situation.
Additionally, we have also taken a proactive approach by developing Enterprise LLM, a secure web application platform designed to help our employees safely explore generative AI while also enhancing their AI literacy. This initiative ensures that our teams can harness AI’s potential responsibly and effectively.
- Can you discuss any upcoming product launches or technological advancements that you’re particularly excited about?
While we cannot comment on upcoming product launches, I can proudly say all our efforts are focused on catering to the needs of our customers. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and we continuously strive to empower creators by adopting new technologies and ideas that push the boundaries of content creation.
One such example is the launch of the 800mm Super Telephoto Zoom G Lens™, the first Full-Frame E-Mount Lens that delivers exceptional high-resolution performance across the entire zoom range—an achievement that only G Lens technology can provide. This breakthrough allows photographers and videographers to capture stunning detail with unparalleled clarity, expanding creative possibilities across various genres.
- What trends are you noticing in consumer behaviour within the South African market specifically?
South African consumers have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting new technologies and the country plays an important role in establishing new trends and experiences for the entire Pan African region, which is why it continues to be one of the key markets for Sony. For this region, we are continuing to see demand and growth in the audio and content creation segment. We will continue to bring cutting edge technology to support the emerging needs of this region with the industry leading full frame mirrorless camera Alpha 9 III in the digital imaging segment, the newly launched battery-operated wireless speakers as part of the ULT series and the award winning 1000x noise cancelling headphones in the audio segment.
- How is Sony addressing the increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly technology solutions?
Delivering innovation for an accessible future, stands at the forefront of all our business activities. We promote a 2-step model that involves ‘Responsibility and Contribution’. The long-term environmental plan “Road to Zero” announced in 2010, symbolizes responsibility and further drives our initiatives across four perspectives being climate change, resources, chemical substances, and biodiversity to achieve a zero-environment footprint by 2050. We back cast from the target year for achievement and set medium term goals every five years to work on reducing our environmental impact. Given that responding to climate change has become a particularly urgent issue amongst the four perspectives, and a little over a year ago, we had announced that we would bring forward our goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 10 years to 2040.
- As a leader, what principles do you prioritise when building and leading high-performing teams?
I strive to create a form of a visionary leadership style and principles focused on fostering creativity and diversity. Our People philosophy ‘Special You, Diverse Sony’ bridges the intersection between innovation and creativity by nurturing open-mindedness and collaboration to mutually deliver and pave the way forward.
- How do you encourage innovation and creativity among your team members?
Here at Sony, we embrace the ideas of each and every individual and foster a space where innovation and creativity flourish. Our objectives as a team are derived around carrying forward Sony’s purpose to ‘Fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology’. It is this shared mission, that we are able to create a space where individuals can ideate, experiment, and collaborate for a better future.