Meet Lexus President, Koji Sato, Who Will Take Over From Toyota’s Akio Toyoda In April

Meet Koji Sato, Lexus Chief engineer and president, who will take over from outgoing Toyota CEO, Akio Toyoda.

Akio Toyoda plans to step down from his position as Toyota president and become chairman of the board on April 1st.

As the new president of Toyota, Sato has been tasked to respond to the market expansion of electric vehicles.

Sato, a 1992 graduate of Waseda University with a major in mechanical engineering, started his career at Toyota in 1992.

He rose through the ranks to become chief engineer of Lexus in 2016 and Toyota’s GAZOO Racing Company President in 2020.

Sato has been building Toyota and Lexus cars for three decades, including the Prius, Toyota’s flagship hybrid vehicle.

The incoming president of Toyota is best known as the chief engineer of the Lexus LC sports Coupe.

Toyota Motor Corporation on Thursday announced that 66-year-old Akio Toyoda would step down as President and CEO of the Japanese car brand that his grandfather, Kiichiro Toyoda, founded 85 years ago.

Akio Toyoda plans to step down from his position and become chairman of the board on April 1st while the current chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada will drop his title but remain on the board.

The 53-year-old chief branding officer and president of Toyota’s luxury brand’s, Lexus, Koji Sato, will take over from Toyoda when the outgoing boss becomes the Chairman on April 1.

On Thursday, Toyoda said Sato was chosen because he “worked hard to learn Toyota’s philosophy”, adding that “The CEO needs youth, energy, strength.”

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At a news conference on Thursday, Sato said :

“I love making cars. That’s why I want to be a president that continues to create cars, to show what Toyota should be in the shape of cars,”.

As the new president of Toyota, Sato has been tasked to respond to the market expansion of electric vehicles, which Toyoda failed to expand during his 14 years at the top.

Sato, a 1992 graduate of Waseda University with a major in mechanical engineering, started his career at Toyota in 1992. He rose through the ranks to become chief engineer of Lexus in 2016, Toyota’s GAZOO Racing Company President in 2020 and Lexus chief branding officer in January 2021.

Sato has been building Toyota and Lexus cars for three decades, including the Prius, Toyota’s flagship hybrid vehicle, and a Corolla racing car that runs on hydrogen. He is best known as the chief engineer of the Lexus LC sports Coupe.

• See Also : Akio Toyoda Steps Down As Toyota’s Boss After 14 Years At The Helm