Suzuki elevates Osamu's son as President, India high on focus

Japan's small car major Suzuki Motor Corporation today named the eldest son of its CEO Osamu Suzuki as its new President while putting more focus on its Indian operations for expanding globally.
Announcing its mid-term management plan, the company said it planned to take forward its globalisation strategy in India and apply it to other overseas operations for strengthening global management.
Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) said Toshihiro Suzuki was promoted as President (COO) from the position of Executive Vice President Supporting CEO/ Global Marketing, clearing the air over the company's succession plans.
SMC, which plans to introduce 20 models globally in five years, said it would "carry forward globalisation in India and apply globally" as part of strengthening of its global management.

In a series of management changes announced today, Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa has been given the additional responsibility of Suzuki's Senior Managing Officer Division General Manager, India/Africa Automobile Marketing Division.
Likewise, Maruti Suzuki India Joint Managing Director Toshiaki Hasuike will also be Suzuki's Managing Officer Deputy Executive General Manager, Automobile Engineering.

Commenting on the announcements, Ayukawa said: "The SMC medium term plan announced today puts high focus on India, which is very positive. T Suzuki has been a Board member of MSIL since October 2013 and has a very good understanding of our business. Overall, SMC's commitment to India remains unchanged."

Highlighting the significance of Indian market, which SMC expects to become the world's third largest, the company pointed out "development of human resources and making of long-term base by co-developing with Indian engineers" as a key point.
SMC said it would develop Indonesia and Thailand as pillars that follow Japan and India, to place them as the production base for inside and outside ASEAN.
The company said it would make Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Hungary as global production base, while focusing on "promotion of development of information communication technology in India".
Besides, SMC aims "to make new plant in Gujarat as the most evolved plant of Suzuki".

SMC said in Indian market while it is centering on the expanding new buyers, it would fulfill products, sales network and productivity to meet increasing substitute demands.
In the passenger vehicles segment in India Maruti Suzuki has more than 45 per cent market share.