Toyota Europe To Lead Small Car Development Duties

To make room for expanding model research and development on the home front, Toyota Motor Corp has appointed its European division to lead global product planning for small cars.

Vested with this major responsibility, extensive reorganization in Toyota Europe’s sales and marketing operations were put to effect in hopes to best approach the new mission. According to Toyota Motor Europe CEO Didier Leroy, “It is essential to bring focus to this mission and the product planning division will play a key role in this integrated strategy, together with our designers.”

Alain Uyttenhoven, head of product planning and marketing, will shift his responsibilities to focus on product planning specifically and will be in charge of overseeing the global potential of the future Aygo minicar, Yaris/Vitz subcompact, as well as the Auris/Corolla compact.

Taking Uyttenhoven’s old marketing duties is Daniele Schillaci of Toyota-France. Schillaci’s new role as Toyota’s general manager of sales and marketing, according to Didier Leroy, will allow Toyota, “… to respond in the fastest and most efficient way to market volatility and changes in customers’ expectations.”

To replace Daniele Schillaci’s former role as Toyota France CEO is Pascal Ruch, who currently holds station as Toyota’s general manager of sales and production efficiency in European distribution.

Finally, Miguel Fonseca will become the vice president of business integration. While this is a major managerial shift within Toyota, Ford and Fiat– Chrysler rely on its European operations to develop future products in the minicar, subcompact and compact segments as well.

[Source: Automotive News]