Akio Toyoda

Career

In 2000 Toyoda joined Toyota's board of directors. In 2005 he was promoted to executive vice president.

In January 2009 he was announced as the forthcoming president of the company. On June 23, 2009, he was confirmed as the new president of the company, along with four new executive vice presidents and eight new board members. The previous president and CEO Katsuaki Watanabe became vice chairman, replacing Katsuhiro Nakagawa.

Toyoda, who promoted sports models like the Lexus IS-F and Lexus LF-A, loves auto racing. He participated as a driver at the ADAC 24 hours at the Nürburgring three times under the pseudonym Morizo Kinoshita. In 2009 he reached the 87th position overall and the fourth position in his class with his LF-A Prototyp No. 14.

In 2012 he was named Autocar's Man of the Year.

Statement on vehicle recalls

On February 17, 2010, Toyoda was called up to Washington by the U.S. Congress. Seven days later, he issued a prepared statement to the Congress. He focused on three key issues, including recalled vehicles. He also stated that he is "deeply sorry" repeatedly; however, many lawmakers were asking tough questions regarding the recalled vehicles.

Family tree

Toyoda was born in Nagoya to Shoichiro Toyoda. The descendants of Sakichi Toyoda, who established Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, have long dominated the upper management of Toyota Motors, which was incorporated in 1937. Shoichiro Toyoda was born in Nagoya on February 17, 1925, the son of Kiichiro Toyoda, who would become the president of Toyota between 1941 and 1950; and in due course, Shoichiro Toyoda became president of the company between 1982 and 1992. His 52-year-old son, Akio Toyoda, was the chief contender for the office of president when Katsuaki Watanabe was to have relinquished that post to become Chairman, Toyota's natural progression. In 2009, Mr. Watanabe was awarded only the Vice-Chairman job, possibly a subtle commentary on the quality crisis.