PLANO, Texas, March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota today
announced executive changes across its North American operations,
effective April 1.
"These appointments reflect Toyota's ongoing efforts to
strengthen regional integration in North
America," said Jim Lentz,
chief executive officer, Toyota Motor North America. "This will
allow us to bring new perspectives and insights to these critical
roles in order to respond more quickly to our customers'
needs."
In April 2014, Toyota announced it
is establishing a single, state-of-the-art headquarters in
Plano, Texas for its North
American manufacturing, sales and marketing, and corporate
operations. The new designation of its operating entity is
Toyota Motor North America (TMNA).
The changes announced today include:
Osamu "Simon" Nagata, executive vice president and chief
administrative officer, TMNA and senior managing officer, Toyota
Motor Corporation (TMC), will return to Japan. Nagata will become executive vice
president and chief financial officer, TMC. In addition, Nagata
will become a member of the board of directors of TMC as of the
113th General Shareholders Meeting in June.
Tetsuo Ogawa, managing
officer, TMC, is named executive vice president and chief
administrative officer, TMNA. In this role, Ogawa will be
responsible for managing on a cross-affiliate basis, all North
American corporate resources as well as product support. Ogawa will
be based in Plano, Texas,
reporting to Lentz.
Osamu Ushio,
executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering &
Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), as well as executive
general manager of TMC, will return to Japan. Ushio will become the plant general
manager, Tahara Plant, while
continuing to serve as executive general manager of TMC.
Tadahisa Isono, senior
vice president of Production Engineering, TEMA, is named executive
vice president, Manufacturing, TMNA, and executive general manager,
TMC. Isono will be responsible for all North American
manufacturing, including assembly and unit plants and Production
Engineering. Isono will report to Lentz.
Seiya Nakao, president of
Toyota Technical Center (TTC), and executive vice president, TEMA,
will return to Japan. Nakao will become vice chairman &
president, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing China Co.,
Ltd., and executive vice president, Toyota Motor China Investment
Co., Ltd. He will also become a managing officer of TMC.
Shinichi Yasui, executive
general manager, Mid-size Vehicle Company, TMC, is named executive
vice president, TMNA R&D, president of TEMA, and managing
officer, TMC, succeeding Nakao. Yasui will be responsible for all
research and development including purchasing and supplier
engineering development. Yasui will report to Lentz.
Christopher (Chris) P.
Reynolds, managing officer, general counsel
and deputy chief officer, general administration and human
resources, TMC, and chief diversity officer,
TMNA, adds to his responsibilities the role of executive
vice president, Corporate Resources, TMNA. In this
new TMNA role, Reynolds will be responsible for a number
of administrative functions, including Accounting & Finance,
Human Resources, Government Affairs and Corporate
Communications, among others. Reynolds will report to
Lentz in his chief diversity officer role and
to Ogawa in his Corporate Resources function.
Chris Nielsen, senior vice
president and chief quality officer, Product Support, TMNA, is
named executive vice president and chief quality officer, Product
Support, TMNA, and executive general manager, TMC. Nielsen will add
Information Systems to his responsibilities. Nielsen will report to
Ogawa.
Zack Hicks, group vice
president and chief information officer, TMNA, is named senior vice
president and chief information officer and global security, TMNA.
Hicks will report to Nielsen. Hicks will also continue his role as
president & chief executive officer Toyota Connected.
Kazuo "Kaz" Ohara, president and chief executive officer
of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.,
Inc. (TMS), will return to Japan
as a global advisor to TMC.
Bob Carter, currently
senior vice president, Automotive Operations, is named executive
vice president, Sales for TMNA, president, TMS, and executive
general manager, TMC. Carter will have responsibility for sales,
marketing, distribution and customer service for the Toyota and
Lexus brands in North America.
Carter will report to Lentz.
Bill Fay, group vice
president and general manager, Toyota Division, is named senior
vice president, Automotive Operations, for Toyota and Lexus brands,
succeeding Carter. Fay will report to Carter.
Jack Hollis, group vice
president, Toyota Division Marketing, TMS, is named group vice
president and general manager, Toyota Division, succeeding Fay.
Hollis will report to Fay.
Ed Laukes, currently vice
president, Toyota Division Marketing, Media, Incentives and
Motorsports, TMS, is named group vice president, Toyota Division
Marketing, succeeding Hollis. Laukes will report to Hollis.
Commenting on the appointments, Lentz said: "These changes were
well considered and will better position Toyota for sustainable,
long-term growth both in North
America and globally. I'd like to personally thank
Simon Nagata, Kaz Ohara, Seiya
Nakao and Osamu Ushio for
their considerable efforts in helping make One Toyota a reality. At the same time, we will
all benefit from the leadership of the newly appointed executive
team and others as we put in place our new structure for
One Toyota."
Details on TMC's global announcement can be found at
http://www.toyota-global.com/news.
CONTACT: Aaron Fowles, 310 468
5297
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America