Mazda Appoints Masamichi Kogai as Next CEO
Now that Mazda is back in the black turning its first profit in five years, the automaker has appointed Masamichi Kogai to succeed current CEO Takashi Yamanouchi.
The promotion will go into effect pending the approval of the automaker’s June 25 annual shareholders’ meeting. Kogai, a production and purchasing specialist at Mazda, has played a big role in reshaping Mazda to be a more efficient automaker. Yamanouchi will retain his title of chairman.
Kogai, 58, joined Mazda in 1977 and has spent the majority of his career in R&D, logistics, cost improvement, and information technology. He became the head of production and purchasing in 2011 and helped navigate Mazda through rough times after the earthquake in Japan.
Yamanouchi on the other hand, took over the CEO position in 2008 and was the first Japanese president of an independent Mazda, free of Ford’s controlling stake. He spearheaded the Japanese automaker’s SkyActiv line of vehicles and was able to deliver a global net profit of $364.3 million after four years of losses.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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