PSP Games - George Fornay leaves SCE France

This is THE big news, and also the big surprise of the day at the French gaming news: George Fornay, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment France and Senior Vice President of SCEE, is stepping down after 16 years in within the company.

Trained at the prestigious University of Paris Dauphine, George Fornay was CEO for nine years of his life in France before joining Commodore SCE France in 1995. It is currently considered a major architect of the success of the PlayStation brand in France and Switzerland.

Having launched PlayStation in France, Georges Fornay has been at the forefront of development of the PlayStation brand, became one of the most iconic in the world. As CEO of SCE France, Georges Fornay was an actor for the success of the company for many years, particularly through the implementation of SCE in Switzerland.

Andrew House, CEO of SCEE, has not missed the opportunity to add:

George led the French and Swiss markets with extensive know-how and a lot of success during these 16 years with us and he played a key role in making the PlayStation brand market leader in the region. George has a reputation as one of the most respected executives in the industry and we wish him well in his future activities.

The specific reasons for his departure are still unknown, but Mr. Fournay who was also president of SELL (Syndicat des Leisure Software Publishers) said he kept his position within the organization before returning to his career in Sony:

When I was recruited for the launch of PlayStation in the French market in September 1995, I never expected to still be here 16 years later. Business has changed considerably since those years and, after 25 years in this business, I feel it is time for me to leave Sony, and a fresh start.

I know I left the company in the hands of highly skilled teams and really talented, in both France and Switzerland.

George Fournay has not disclosed his plans for his life. We can only wish good luck and good luck to this great man who had marked the video Game industry in France.