The New York Times is reporting that Sony has appointed a Welsh-born former television news journalist called Howard Stringer (currently running Sony Corporation of America) to succeed Nobuyuki Idei, the current chairman and chief executive, who is retiring next year after Sony’s 60th anniversary. You can bet that this Stringer is no Welsh nationalist — he’s accepted a knighthood, no doubt for “services to industry”. Just like that other devout monarchist, ‘Sir’ Bill Gates.