Tag Archives: People

Guyton New Mazda North American Ops President

Guyton

Appointed Mazda North American Operations (NAO) president and CEO, Jeff Guyton replaces Masahiro Moro effective June 24th. Recalled to Hiroshima, Moro becomes the newly-minted Chief Communications Officer.

Guyton’s oversight includes North America, Canada, Columbia, and Mexico, along with US and Mexican vehicle production.

Moro will handle public and investor relations, social responsibility, human resources, government affairs, and other functions.

“Mazda has invested in new products, manufacturing facilities, and an enhanced dealer experience,” Moro said.

“Jeff led Mazda’s growth in the US, strengthening the business. In his new roll, he will collaborate across the regions and continue to grow our brand.”

President of North American Operations since joining Mazda in 2019, Guyoton guided the company to year-over-year sales growth in 2020.

Guyton orchestrated Covid response programs, Mazda Financial Services launch, and Retail Evolution dealer program expansion. He served as Mazda Motor Europe president and CEO prior to joining Mazda NAO.

At Mazda Motor Europe, Guyton was executive officer and general manager of the cost planning division, before becoming the VP and Chief Financial Officer.

Starting his automotive career as a Ford financial analyst in Japan, he relocated to Dearborn, Michigan as finance manager.

Achieving a B.A. in chemistry and Asian studies in 1988 from Wittenberg University, Guyton received his MBA and masters degrees from the University of Michigan.

Mazda NAO, headquartered in Irvine, California, oversees Mazda sales, marketing, parts and customer service support in the United States and Mexico through 620 dealers. Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City manages sales in Mexico.

[Image: Mazda]

Toyota’s Akio Toyoda Chosen 2021 World Car Person of the Year

Toyoda

Selected 2021 World Car Awards Person of the Year was Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) president and CEO.

Toyoda

“Akio Toyoda is the charismatic President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. He has spent years successfully remaking his company. In 2020 despite COVID-19, under his leadership Toyota remained profitable, protecting jobs worldwide. He has maintained Toyota’s steady pace of development in the connected, autonomous, shared and electric (CASE) era. He has also initiated construction of the Woven City, an exciting, real-life prototype city of the future. All while actively participating in motorsports himself, as a driver,” said the World Car Awards in a statement.

Toyoda said, “At Toyota, we are very fortunate that we were able to protect the employment of our team members during COVID-19 and continue our work to meet the future challenge of our industry. Creating new ways to support the well-being of our planet and people everywhere is our commitment. This has been a difficult period in the history of the world. But it has also reminded us that people are what matters most. And if we at Toyota can contribute some measure of happiness to their lives, it will be my never-ending goal to do just that.”

Toyoda

Toyota joined the company in 1984, after graduating with a law degree from Keio University. He also received a masters in business administration from Wellesley, Massachusetts’ Babson College. Toyoda served in different areas of the business in Japan and overseas, before becoming a member of the TMC board of directors in 2000. He held other senior and executive vice-presidential roles until becoming TMC president in 2009.

Toyoda The World Car Person of the Year award was established in 2018 to acknowledge the contributions made by an individual in the auto industry during the previous year. The World Car Awards program hands out six awards annually, which they started doing in 2003. A group of more than 90 journalists, none of whom are a part of TheTruthAboutCars.com, made the selection.

[Images: Toyota, Babson College]