A Toyota Motor Corporation revelou uma major overhaul of its leadership structure, aiming to keep pace with an increasingly complex and fiercely competitive global car market.
From 1 April 2026, the world’s largest carmaker will move to a dual leadership model that separates day-to-day internal operations from external strategic representation. The intention is to speed up decision-making and strengthen the company’s profitability.
The most far-reaching change concerns Koji Sato. The current President and Chief Executive Officer (since 1 April 2023) will step away from running the company to become Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and take up a newly created role for this handover: Chief Industry Officer (CIO).
In this position, Sato will act as a kind of global ambassador for the brand and for Japanese industry. “Sato is also expected to promote policy proposals centred on monozukuri (manufacturing) and encourage collaboration between industries to enhance Japan’s industrial competitiveness,” the statement says.
Dual leadership model at Toyota from 1 April 2026
The reshuffle is presented as an answer to how demanding the Chief Executive role has become. Until now, Koji Sato has combined responsibilities as Toyota’s leader with serving as President of JAMA (the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association) and Vice Chair of KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation). Management concluded that carrying both heavy internal duties and high-profile external roles was no longer sustainable in a fast-changing environment.
By handing operational and financial management to Kon and allowing Sato to concentrate on large-scale strategic responsibilities, Toyota aims to become more agile without losing institutional influence.
The new Chief Executive Officer
Kenta Kon, currently Toyota’s Chief Financial Officer and the executive overseeing its cost structure, has been selected as Chief Executive Officer. With margins under pressure from the energy transition, Chinese competition and tariffs, the company is backing a leader expected to optimise the value chain, lower the operational break-even point (break-even point) and generate the cash flow needed to fund substantial technology investment.
“Within Toyota, improving the company’s financial performance and reducing the break-even point are immediate priorities. Concrete actions on these issues are urgently required,” the carmaker said.
Board appointments and finance leadership
As part of the transition, Yoichi Miyazaki will take over the responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer.
The Board of Directors appointments will formally take effect-once the necessary bureaucratic and legal process has been completed-after approval at the 122nd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for June.
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