Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd (IMSB) recently appointed Koji Nakamura as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will oversee all operational aspects, including sales, after sales and finance.
New Chief Executive Officer Appointed at Isuzu Malaysia
Revealing the appointment, exiting CEO Kenji Matsuoka said: “Koji Nakamura has years of extensive experience, which include strategic planning, sales and operations, in addition to helming diverse leadership roles in the competitive automotive industry. I am delighted that I will be passing over the reins to someone with such excellent aptitude, high optimism and fresh perspective to lead this organisation.”
Matsuoka was the CEO since 2015. During his term, Isuzu Malaysia saw great improvements, from being ranked 7 previously to 6 currently in Malaysia’s top automotive company by volume. Under his direction, Isuzu successfully maintained its position as the Number 1 preferred truck brand in Malaysia. The Isuzu D-Max’s market share also saw a positive improvement of 3.8 per cent; from 10.9 per cent to 14.7 per cent in the past year.
“Throughout my tenure at Isuzu Malaysia, the company has experienced immense growth for which I am tremendously proud of,” Matsuoka said.
The dynamics of the current Malaysian automotive market is set to pose a welcome challenge for Nakamura. Recently, Isuzu Malaysia introduced its flagship Isuzu Service Centre in Shah Alam, despite the market’s challenging conditions of late.
“There are always opportunities to grow the business in any economic climate. I believe that my team is capable in realising our vision and subsequent growth in the coming years. My task at hand is to focus on improving our operational best practices as well as intensifying vehicle sales,” he added.
Nakamura’s vast experience spans more than 25 years, which includes a leading management role in Isuzu Asia Pacific. Furthermore, he has extensive knowledge and understanding in managing various different markets, especially in running large automotive markets such as India and Thailand.
Aiding him would be Mikio Tsukui, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Commercial Vehicle Division, and Masayuki Suzuki, COO for Light Commercial Vehicle Division.
“I am very excited to take up this new challenge. I have been privileged to manage automotive business units on a global scale and I will do my very best to bring Isuzu Malaysia to the next level in the local automotive industry,” he said.
