Toyota has announced a change of CEO

Toyota has announced a change of CEO. Starting in April, Koji Sato, who has been in charge of the company for three years, will be replaced by current Chief Financial Officer Kentu Kona. The press service of the Japanese automaker announced this on February 6. Koji Sato will become Toyota's vice chairman and will receive a new position as Director of Industry Affairs.

"The purpose of these changes is to accelerate management decision—making in response to changes in the internal and external environment, as well as to create a structure that will allow Toyota to fully fulfill its mission of contributing to society through industry," the company said in a statement.

According to Reuters, the reshuffle comes amid increasing criticism of Toyota in connection with the planned acquisition of Toyota Industries, a forklift manufacturing subsidiary. Minority investors criticized this deal for its lack of transparency.

The note notes that the change in Toyota's leadership was unexpected. Toyota announced this at the same time as it released its third-quarter results, in which the company raised its full-year profit forecast by almost 12%, helped by a weakening yen and cost-cutting measures. In the new positions, Kohn will focus on the internal management of the company, while Sato will focus on the broader development of the industry. These changes are designed to speed up the decision-making process at a time when Chinese competitors are changing the automotive business at an alarming rate, experts say.

Koji Sato took over the company, replacing Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the founder of Toyota Motors, in April 2023. At that time, Toyota was under pressure due to its lag in the field of electric vehicles. During Sato's tenure, Toyota shares rose 111%, including dividends. By the end of 2025, Toyota set a sales record and once again became the world's largest automaker.

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Earlier, on February 4, it was reported that by the end of January 2026, Toyota entered the top 10 of the brand rating in terms of new car sales in Russia. At the same time, the brand is not officially present on the Russian market.

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