Toyota Motor Philippines welcomes Masando Hashimoto as new president
TOYOTA Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) officially announced the appointment of Masando Hashimoto as its new president, succeeding Atsuhiro Okamoto. The ceremonial turnover, held on Feb. 20, 2024, marked a pivotal moment for the company amid a backdrop of substantial challenges.
Hashimoto, at the age of 46, makes him the youngest individual to hold the position of president in TMP’s history. His appointment comes at a crucial juncture for the company, following a tenure by Okamoto marked by significant hurdles, including the Taal Volcano eruption and the widespread impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bringing with him a wealth of experience from his tenure at Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC), where he began his career in 2007, Hashimoto has held various key roles encompassing global sales and business planning, Asia distribution, and human resource management.
Hashimoto’s career trajectory underscores his expertise and understanding of the automotive industry, particularly within the Asian market. His recent role as Senior Vice President for Marketing at TMP has further deepened his insights into the dynamics of the Philippine market.
Apart from his role as TMP president, Hashimoto assumes the chairmanship of Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines, underscoring his commitment to advancing mobility services in the region.
In his inaugural address, Hashimoto emphasized the importance of collaboration within the automotive sector and underscored the significance of leveraging the Philippines’ human capital. “Toyota can have the best of both worlds of hardware for production quality and software for the workforce,” he said.
The leadership transition coincides with TMP’s strategic initiatives aimed at further enhancing its presence in the market through innovative mobility solutions and advancements along the automotive value chain. Notably, TMP is gearing up for the local production of the IMV 0 (Zero), also known as the Toyota Tamaraw, marking a significant milestone in the company’s operations.
As Hashimoto assumes the helm of TMP, expectations are high for his leadership to steer the company through evolving industry landscapes and drive growth in the Philippine automotive market.