Hideaki Otaka Will Succeed Toshiaki Taguchi as President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
05/10/2004 New York, NY
Toshiaki (Tag) Taguchi, who has been President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc. for the past four years, will step down from his post in June and will return to Japan. His successor will be Hideaki (Harry) Otaka, who has spent nearly his entire career in international operations for Toyota Motor Corporation. Currently, Mr. Otaka is President and CEO of Delphys Inc., a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.
Mr. Taguchi was appointed President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc., in January 2000. In this position, he has been responsible for enhancing the coordination, speed and productivity of Toyota's North American business operations. He served on the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation for nearly a decade. Currently, he is Senior Advisor to the Board of Toyota Motor Corporation.
Mr. Otaka joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1965. His career has included sales, marketing and manufacturing planning assignments for the company's activities in the U.S., Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Oceania. He spent six years at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. in the Los Angeles and Washington, DC offices. Mr. Otaka is a former member of Toyota Motor Corporation's Board of Directors. He has been President and CEO of Delphys Inc., a marketing and advertising company owned by Toyota and formerly named Nambokusha, Inc., since 1999.
Toyota Motor North America, Inc., wholly owned by Toyota Motor Corporation, is the holding company for Toyota's U.S. sales and manufacturing companies. Direct functions include corporate communications, investor relations, corporate advertising, federal government, industry and regulatory affairs; market, economic and auto industry research; and the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation. In addition, the company coordinates the corporate planning, diversity and business activities of all Toyota companies in North America. Headquartered in New York, it has offices in Washington, DC and Miami, FL.
