Sony India today announced the appointment of Sunil Nayyar as its new managing director as part of the company strategy to accelerate growth.

This is for the first time that an Indian is taking over the top position at Sony India, which is not doing well in the Indian smartphone market. Xiaomi from China and Samsung from Korea are top smartphone brands in India.

Korean phone brands Samsung and LG, and two China phone makers Huawei and ZTE do not have Indians in CEO positions in India at present.

Sony India said Sunil Nayyar will be the managing director of the company from April 1.

“Being one of the most recognised consumer electronics brand, it is an exciting time to lead the company’s direction in India,” Sunil Nayyar said.

Sunil Nayyar replaces Kenichiro Hibi, who has now been appointed as president for Sony Brazil.

Kenichiro Hibi held the position as managing director of Sony India for six years from 2012 till 2018.

Sunil Nayyar held the position of sales head of Sony India from April 2006 till April 2015 prior to moving to Sony North America as head of Retail Experience, a position which he held from May 2015 till March 2018.

Sunil Nayyar started his stint at Sony in 1995, as part of Sony Gulf’s sales team in charge of North and East Africa, Russia, Lebanon, Syria and several other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.