Indian Can Be President of Suzuki Japan: Toshihiro Suzuki
Jan 16, 2025 19:02
Toshihiro Suzuki, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, says nationality isn't a barrier for leadership at Maruti Suzuki India or Suzuki Japan, highlighting the growing importance of the Indian market.
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New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) Nationality is not a factor for anyone to become Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, and even an Indian can become the President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, its Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said on Thursday.
In an interaction here with reporters ahead of Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Suzuki said the Indian automotive market has developed tremendously to become the third largest in the world and no one could have visualised the true potential of this market when his late father Osamu Suzuki came here 40 years ago.
Responding to a query on whether an Indian can become the Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India in future, considering the significance of the Indian subsidiary in Suzuki Motor Corporation's global operations, he said nationality is not a factor.
"It is quite possible that an Indian can become the Managing Director of Marti Suzuki
On the other hand, even an Indian can become the President of Suzuki Japan," Suzuki asserted.
Since its listing in 2003, Maruti Suzuki India has seen Indian and Japanese executives occupy the positions of Chairman, and MD & CEO alternately.
Shinzo Nakanishi was the Chairman and late Jagdish Khattar was MD & CEO when the company went public. Since the retirement of Khattar in 2007, Maruti Suzuki India's Managing Director and CEO position has been held by three Japanese executives with RC Bhargava remaining the Chairman. Currently, Hisashi Takeuchi is the MD and CEO of the company.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has become a very significant part of Suzuki Motor Corporation's (SMC) global operations accounting for a major chunk of production and sales of the Japanese small car major.
In the January to November period of 2024, MSI accounted for 62.5 per cent of SMC's total global production at 19,04,815 units out of a total of 30,46,470 units. Similarly in sales, MSI contributed 55.2 per cent of SMC's global sales at 16,58,354 units out of a total of 30,03,886 units.
Reflecting on how the Indian automobile market has evolved since his father late Osamu Suzuki agreed to partner with the government, T Suzuki said, "India was his second home and 40 years ago, when he came here, no one could have visualised the true potential of this market. However, he had full confidence in India and its people. Today, India has grown to become words, third largest automobile market."
He further said, "Taking ahead the passion of O Suzuki, we will put in our best efforts toward further development of the Indian passenger four-wheeler vehicles and motorcycle market and India as well. Our efforts will be on ensuring that Maruti Suzuki, Suzuki and Suzuki Motorcycle brand is continued to be loved by Indian customers."
From his last visit to the Auto Expo in 2023, he said, "There have been many changes in the Indian market in the past two years and the total passenger car sales in India is surpassing 4 million units for two consecutive years."
He also noted that the share of environmentally friendly vehicles of different power trains, such as hybrid, strong hybrid and CNG has increased considerably.
Suzuki also acknowledged that competition in the Indian market has increased with the increasing number of global automotive players entering it and MSI and SMC would work together to expand market share in India through introduction of new products, marketing activities and providing excellent after sales service.
To a question on impact of forex fluctuation on royalty payments by MSI to SMC, he said it doesn't depend on exchange rate but on the extent of technology cooperation. When asked if MSI or SMC would bring back diesel engines, he said SMC has discontinued it and is not in a position to comment on diesel technology but it may exist elsewhere for other companies.
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