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Akio ToyodaPresident of Toyota
Date of Birth: 03.05.1956
Country:  Japan |
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Biography of Akio Toyoda
Akio Toyoda was born in 1956 in Nagoya, Japan. He comes from a family that has been involved in the automobile business for generations, specifically with the company 'Toyota' founded by his grandfather, Kiichiro Toyoda. His father, Soichiro Toyoda, held a position as one of the company's chairmen in Japan from 1992 to 1999.
Education and Career
After completing his schooling, Akio attended Keio University, one of Japan's most prestigious universities located in Tokyo. Later, he moved to the United States to study at Babson College, a private business school in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It was there that he received his master's degree in business.
Akio began his career in the family company in 1984. By 2000, he became a member of the board of directors, and in 2005, he took on the role of vice president of 'Toyota'. At that time, Akio was involved in both Japanese and global operations and deals of the company.
Presidency and Challenges
On June 23, 2009, Akio Toyoda assumed the position of president of 'Toyota', alongside four new vice presidents and eight new members of the board of directors. The previous president, Katsuaki Watanabe, became the company's chairman, replacing Katsuhiro Nakagawa.
This appointment marked the first time in a decade that a family member was appointed to a leadership position. However, unfortunately, problems in the seemingly flawless company began during Akio's presidency.
In 2010, there were issues with the brakes of 'Toyota' sedans, leading to the recall of over 500,000 vehicles. In an interview, Akio Toyoda apologized deeply for the inconvenience caused to many people regarding the quality and safety of the vehicles. He personally tested the faulty cars and described the malfunctioning braking system as "falling and slipping." He also pledged to personally investigate the situation.
After some time, 'Toyota' vehicles faced another problem, this time with the gas pedal. This issue affected models such as 'RAV4', 'Corolla', 'Matrix', 'Avalon', 'Camry', 'Highlander', 'Tundra', and 'Sequoia'. Although the majority of problems were observed in the United States, the company's leadership, led by President Akio Toyoda, announced a recall of over 4 million vehicles worldwide. Currently, over 9 million vehicles have been recalled in Japan.
