Andrea Perez Is a Game Changer for Sony Interactive

Whether it’s in sports or in video games, elite players go where they can be a playmaker and game-changer. After nearly two decades at Nike uplifting underserved athletes and customers, Jordan Women’s vice president and general manager Andrea Perez sees a similarly challenging playing field in gaming. This month, Perez joins Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) as its senior vice president of brand, product and services marketing. She’ll be in charge of hardware, VR, peripherals, the PlayStation Store, services and product marketing teams, as well as consumer insights and marketing analytics teams. She’ll also attempt to bring the joy of gaming to an audience as broad and inclusive as possible. “One of the things that makes Nike successful is the relentless pursuit of the voice of the athlete,” Perez said. “SIE’s marketing is focused on the excitement, joy, and emotion that gamers feel when playing their favorite games on PlayStation … there is no person around me in the team that isn't thinking about the player first.” Tiger Woods Drives PGA Tour Brand With Video Game Comeback Free play According to The Entertainment Software Association, girls and women make up 48% of all U.S. gamers. Meanwhile, Sony says 41% of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners worldwide are women. That presents Perez with opportunities similar to those she saw at Nike. In her farewell letter to Nike, Perez spoke about ikiagi: a Japanese term for sense of purpose. At Nike, Perez felt her ikigai was not only tied to sport, but centered around connection, creation and representation. A member of Adweek’s Steering Committee, Perez made Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports list by showcasing the diversity and strength of female athletes. “One of the things that really stood out for me when I was interviewing with Sony Interactive (SIE) was the existing diversity of the team,” she said. “The diversity of nationalities, age and gender made it feel like a company that has strong commitments to increase representation, not only within the company—but to also make sure that our products also represent our global community of fans.” EA Sports Brings Match Day Magic To Life in FIFA 23 Farewell Expanding the game As she researched her roles at SIE, Perez read about Sony’s social justice fund and how it helps organizations scout talent from underserved communities. She also saw women at the top of finance, communications and global sales departments. Throughout her career, Perez has viewed mentorship as a means of creating the opportunities she wasn’t seeing in the global workplace. She co-founded the Women of Nike employee group and currently serves as a chair of the governance committee for the Women’s Sport Foundation. “Mentorship is vital to the strength and growth of any organization,” Perez said. “Within my first week, I received outreach from the Women@PlayStation—and I’m excited to see how I can help support this employee resource group.” Andrea holds an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Tecnologico de Monterrey, where she competed in soccer and softball. Andrea will be reporting to Eric Lempel, svp of global marketing, as part of the global SIE marketing organization. “Hopefully I’ll be able to help more people in their journey to be their best selves,” Perez said. “Gaming, like sports, is an exciting industry that is leading youth culture and—as such—a very attractive place for marketers to have a career in.” Sony Revamps PlayStation Plus, Adding Streaming-Style Tiers

Gaming News

Andrea Perez Is a Game Changer for Sony Interactive

The former Nike and Jordan Brand executive sees a passion for the players at the company behind PlayStation

Jason Notte

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Jason Notte