Akio Toyodagrandson of the founder of Toyota, 66 years old and after almost 13 years at the helm of the Japanese giant, has decided to step aside. And it is literally a step aside, since from April 1 of this year he will be the chairman of the company’s board.
His place will be taken by Koji Sato, a mechanical engineer from Waseda University who has been with Toyota since 1992. Since 2020, Sato has been the president of Lexus and Gazoo Racing, so the challenges he will have will be more important, such as keeping Toyota in a leadership position for years to come, with all the changes that are coming in terms of ecology and technology.
“I think the best way to further the transformation of Toyota is for me to become Chairman of the Board, in support of a new president of the company and this is what has led me to make this decision. Chairman Uchiyamada has supported me at length and in every way imaginable.” Toyoda commented in an official Toyota digital broadcast.
This is how we want to remember Toyoda, the CEO who asked Gazoo Racing to modify a Toyota Century. (Image: Engine1)
Akio Toyoda has been by far one of the most charismatic CEOs in the automotive industry. His legacy at Toyota goes far beyond his period as CEO, but he will be remembered by all as the man who woke Toyota up, reinvigorated it and brought it out of the monotony. He not only imposed new designs and proposals, but also returned the sportsmanship to the brand, hand in hand with Gazoo Racing. A genuinely passionate man, he also had a lot to deal with, especially everything to do with the pandemic, the chip crisis, some recalls and of course major model refurbishments, which are always a big responsibility. Hopefully we can continue to see him in presentations or linked to the world of motorsport.
On Sato’s side, the fact that he is a mechanical engineer and that he has been with the company for so many years leaves us at ease that Toyota will continue to have a high standard of reliability. What yes, we will see if the departure of Toyoda makes the position of the brand more flexible with respect to electromobility, something in which the brand is still far behind (and in part, also because of Akio Toyoda himself, who did not want to put all their efforts in electric cars).
