All about Koji Sato, new CEO of Toyota in place of Toyoda
Toyoda, 66, had been at the top of Toyota since 2009: he will remain as chairman of the board of directors. The baton passes to the new CEO Sato, the number one of Lexus. That's who Koji Sato is
After 14 years, the reign of 66-year-old Akio Toyoda at Toyota ends. The Japanese entrepreneur, grandson of the company's founder, will leave the position of managing director in the hands of Koji Sato , current chief branding officer and president of Lexus International and Gazoo Racing.
WHY TOYODA IS LEAVING TOYOTA?
The reason that could have led to the change in Toyota's top management is twofold: on the one hand the need to modernize the company's image, on the other the possibility that Toyoda will become the next president of the influential association representing Japanese entrepreneurs, the Keindaren .
From that forum, in fact, it could more easily lobby to push for the Japanese government not to undertake the same accelerations on electric mobility seen in the EU or in some US states. After all, Toyoda , in his double role as number 1 of one of the major Japanese manufacturers and as president of the car manufacturers' association of car manufacturers in the nation of the Rising Sun, had stated : "Japan is dependent on exports, therefore, the neutrality of the carbon equates to problematic employment for the country. Some politicians say we need to turn all cars into electric vehicles or that the manufacturing industry is obsolete, but I don't think that's the case. To protect jobs and consequently also the lives of the Japanese, I think it is necessary to look to our future by working in the right direction so far".
CRITICISM FROM ASSOCIATIONS (AND SOME SHAREHOLDERS)
Also for this reason, however, his figure had gradually become too cumbersome: his skepticism about electric mobility and his pressing requests to approach the issue of decarbonization with a less emphatic method and more based on technological neutrality had recently attracted harsh criticism on Toyota, despite the Japanese company having a respectable plan on the EV car.
The brand has been accused by various environmental associations of being inattentive to the needs of the planet, which has led to many stomach aches even among shareholders. However, Toyoda 's resignation does not automatically mean that the Group will make a change of pace: as anticipated, the grandson of the Toyota founder will in fact remain with the role of chairman of the board of directors.
WHO IS KOJI SATO
Koji Sato was born on October 19, 1969. He graduated from Waseda University with a degree in mechanical engineering in March 1992 and joined Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in April of the same year.
In January 2016, he was appointed Chief Engineer of Lexus International Co. In April 2017, he was promoted to Executive General Manager and Head of Lexus International Co. In January 2019, he became Executive Vice President of Lexus International Co.
In January 2020, he was promoted to chief operating officer and became president of Lexus International Co. In September 2020, he was named president of GAZOO Racing Company.
In January 2021, he was promoted to chief operating officer and named chief branding officer.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/tutto-su-koji-sato-nuovo-ceo-di-toyota-al-posto-di-toyoda/ on Thu, 26 Jan 2023 10:25:59 +0000.