is a Japanese business executive and the current
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of
Toyota Motor Corporation
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
. He is the great-grandson of the Japanese industrialist,
Sakichi Toyoda
was a Japanese inventor and industrialist. He was born in Kosai, Shizuoka. The son of a farmer and sought-after carpenter, he started the Toyoda family companies. His son, Kiichiro Toyoda, would later establish Japan's largest automaker, Toyo ...
, and the grandson of both the founder of Toyota Motors,
Kiichiro Toyoda
was a Japanese businessman and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to change Toyoda's focus from automatic loom manufacture into automobile manufacturing created what would become Toyota Motor Corporation.
Toyoda ...
, and the founder of the
Takashimaya
is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain carrying a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches strategically located in 2 ...
department stores corporation, Shinshichi Iida.
Early life and education
Toyoda is the great-grandson of the founder of Toyoda Automatic Loomworks,
Sakichi Toyoda
was a Japanese inventor and industrialist. He was born in Kosai, Shizuoka. The son of a farmer and sought-after carpenter, he started the Toyoda family companies. His son, Kiichiro Toyoda, would later establish Japan's largest automaker, Toyo ...
, and grandson of
Toyota Motor Corporation
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
founder
Kiichiro Toyoda
was a Japanese businessman and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to change Toyoda's focus from automatic loom manufacture into automobile manufacturing created what would become Toyota Motor Corporation.
Toyoda ...
. He was born 3 May 1956, in
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...
to
Shoichiro Toyoda
is a Japanese retired business executive who served as chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation between 1992–1999,Toyota Honorary Chairman as well as chairman of the influential beginning in May 1994 through May 1998. Under Toyoda's supervision, ...
and Hiroko née Mitsui. Toyoda's family line have long dominated the upper management of the family businesses since the days his carpenter-farmer great-great-grandfather, Ikichi Toyoda, taught his son fabrication and carpentry. Akio Toyoda was the chief contender for the family business when
Katsuaki Watanabe
is senior advisor at Toyota Motor Corporation. He was president and CEO of the company before Akio Toyoda assumed those positions on June 23, 2009.
Watanabe, who earned a degree in economics from Tokyo's Keio University, joined Toyota upon gradu ...
was reassigned as Vice-Chairman in the wake of the quality control crisis.
Family tree
Toyoda completed his undergraduate work in law at
Keio University in Japan and was awarded his Masters of Finance at
Babson College in Massachusetts. He would join the family business in 1984.
Toyota
As grandson of the company's founder, Toyoda joined Toyota's board of directors in 2000. In 2005, Toyoda was promoted to the position of executive vice president. In January 2009, it was announced that Toyoda was chosen as the forthcoming president of the company.
[Rowley, Ian]
"It's Official: Toyota Scion to Be New Chief,"
''Business Week''. 20 January 2009. On 23 June 2009, he was confirmed as the new president, along with four new executive vice presidents and eight new board members. The previous president and CEO
Katsuaki Watanabe
is senior advisor at Toyota Motor Corporation. He was president and CEO of the company before Akio Toyoda assumed those positions on June 23, 2009.
Watanabe, who earned a degree in economics from Tokyo's Keio University, joined Toyota upon gradu ...
became
vice chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the group ...
, replacing
Katsuhiro Nakagawa is the former vice chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 1997 - 1998.Former president and CEO Katsuaki Watanabe replaced him as the new vice chairman of the comp ...
.
In 2012, he was named Autocar's Man of the Year.
Master Driver "Morizo"
As an avid auto racing fan and driver himself, Toyoda has promoted sports models like the
Lexus IS-F
The is a compact executive car sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota since 1999. The IS was originally sold under the nameplate in Japan from 1998 (the word ''Altezza'' is Italian for 'height' or 'highness'). The IS was introduced as an e ...
and
Lexus LF-A
The is a two-seat sports car manufactured by Lexus, the luxury car division of Toyota. It is the second model in the F marque line of performance vehicles from Lexus, following the IS F, and also the first standalone Lexus F model. Three con ...
at auto races. He has participated as a driver at events like the 2009
24 Hours Nürburgring
4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures.
In mathematics
Four is the smalle ...
race employing the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Morizo Kinoshita. In 2009, he reached the 87th position overall and the fourth position in his class with his LF-A Prototype No. 14.
In 2016, Toyoda approved the project that would result in the
GR Yaris
The is a performance-oriented variant of the XP210 series Yaris supermini/subcompact hatchback, in a segment commonly called the hot hatch. The vehicle is manufactured by Toyota with assistance from the company's Gazoo Racing (GR) division an ...
; during the development of that car, Toyoda (as Morizo) served as a test driver. Morizo crashed the first test car during a mid-winter test drive at a
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The lar ...
track; after exiting the car on his own, he remarked that he didn't "like the feel of it". As Morizo, Toyoda continued to drive development prototypes, and since the car's release, has campaigned the car in races.
Toyota global recalls and Congressional Statement
In the wake of massive global recalls ballooning to 8.5 million vehicles, Toyoda was invited to testify before the
U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...
on 17 February 2010, which he accepted. A week later, he issued a prepared statement to the Congress. He focused on three key issues: Toyota's basic philosophy regarding quality control, the cause of the recalls, and "how we will manage quality control going forward". On 24 February 2010, accompanied by president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Yoshimi Inaba, Toyoda testified before the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
' Oversight and Government Reform Committee. As the scion of a family known for their contributions to automated manufacturing, Toyoda was personally affected by the quality control crises. In his comments he is quoted as being "deeply sorry" and highlighted the relations between Toyota vehicles in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and Americans for fifty years.
Future direction of Toyota
At a press event held on December 14, 2021, where Toyota unveiled
multiple concept cars with battery electric drivetrains, Toyoda was asked how he felt about BEVs, given the company's prior emphasis on emissions reduction and elimination through hybrid and hydrogen vehicles. Toyoda responded both as chair and master driver: "Of course I supported BEVs in terms of business, but the question was whether I was supporting them as driver Morizo. ... I think we are now at a point where we can develop safer and faster vehicles with more fun-to-drive aspects. I look forward to developing such BEVs as well moving forward."
Notes
References
* Hasegawa, Yōzō. (2010). ''Rediscovering Japanese Business Leadership: 15 Japanese Managers and the Companies They're Leading to New Growth.'' Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
OCLC 435422498
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toyoda, Akio
1957 births
Living people
People from Nagoya
Babson College alumni
Chief executives in the automobile industry
Japanese chief executives
Keio University alumni
Toyota people
Akio
Akio (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese manga artist
*, Japanese politician
*, Japanese mathematician
* Akio Ishii (石井 昭男, bor ...
Japanese racing drivers
Officiers of the Légion d'honneur
Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers
Nürburgring 24 Hours drivers