The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday said it has appointed Hisashi Takeuchi as the new Managing Director and CEO with effect from April 1, 2022.
The company’s board in its meeting held on Thursday appointed Takeuchi as the Managing Director and CEO from April 1. It is consequent to the completion of the term of Kenichi Ayukawa on March 31, 2022, MSI said in a statement.
In order to facilitate a smooth transition, Ayukawa will continue as a whole-time Director designated as Executive Vice Chairman till September 30, 2022. It will continue to provide guidance to the auto major, it added.
Takeuchi added, “It will be my endeavor that we [Maruti Suzuki] keep serving more and more customers both in India and the world with exciting cars that are good for them, the environment, and society. We will also try to build our business in a manner that strengthens Atmanirbhar Bharat and the economic growth of India.”
Takeuchi, who joined Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) in 1986, is experienced in handling international operations at SMC. He has been on the board of Maruti Suzuki since July 2019. It was later appointed as the joint managing director (Commercial) in April 2021. Ayukawa took over as the managing director of Maruti Suzuki India in April 2013.
Present Position
Current MD Kenichi Ayukawa’s term comes to an end on March 31, 2022, and he will continue as executive vice-chairman and whole-time director till September to facilitate a smooth transition.
“India is one of the most interesting and promising automobile markets in the world. It has been both a challenging and a fulfilling stint for me,”
Ayukawa said. “Hisashi Takeuchi has an excellent understanding of the Indian as well as international markets. He is placed well to lead Maruti Suzuki into the future. I wish him a successful journey ahead.”
New Executive Vice Chairman Kenichi Ayukawa is a Law graduate from Osaka University, Japan. He joined the Human Resource Division of SMC in 1980. He has worked at several key positions in SMC and the Group’s overseas operations including General Manager, Overseas Marketing, Administration Department, and Managing Director of Pak Suzuki Motor.
In 2008, he was appointed as Managing Executive Officer in Global Marketing at SMC. It has been the Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki India since 1st April 2013.
The automaker, whose market share in about 30-lakh-strong (volume) domestic passenger vehicle segment has come down to 45 per cent this year from 48 per cent last year, is looking to fill gaps in the various sub-segments that have emerged in the SUV space in the past few years.
