KUALA LUMPUR: Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd has appointed Koji Nakamura as its new chief executive officer. Nakamura will oversee all operational aspects, including sales, after sales and finance, Isuzu Malaysia said in a statement today. Outgoing CEO Kenji Matsuoka said: “Koji Nakamura has years of extensive experience, which include strategic planning, sales and operations, in addition to helming diverse leadership roles in the competitive automotive industry. “I am delighted that I will be passing over the reins to someone with such excellent aptitude, high optimism and fresh perspective to lead this organisation”. Matsuoka has held the position since 2015. During his term, Isuzu Malaysia saw great improvements, from previously being ranked at No 7 to No 6 in Malaysia’s top automotive company by volume. Under his direction, Isuzu maintained its position as the No. 1 preferred truck brand in Malaysia. The company said the Isuzu D-Max’s market share saw a positive improvement of 3.8 per cent, from 10.9 per cent to 14.7 per cent in the past year. “Throughout my tenure at Isuzu Malaysia, the company has experienced immense growth for which I am tremendously proud of,” Matsuoka said.
The dynamics of the current Malaysian automotive market is set to pose a welcome challenge for Koji Nakamura. Recently, Isuzu Malaysia introduced their flagship Isuzu Service Center located at Shah Alam, despite the market’s challenging conditions of late. “There are always opportunities to grow the business in any economic climate. I believe that my team is capable in realising our vision and subsequent growth in the coming years. My task at hand is to focus on improving our operational best practices, as well as intensifying vehicle sales”, he added. Nakamura’s vast experience spans more than 25 years, which also includes a leading management role in Isuzu Asia Pacific. He also has extensive knowledge and understanding in managing various different markets, especially in running large automotive markets such as India and Thailand. Aiding him will be Mikio Tsukui, chief operating officer of commercial vehicle division, and Masayuki Suzuki, COO for light commercial vehicle division. “I am very excited to take up this new challenge. I have been privileged to manage automotive business units on a global scale, and I will do my very best to bring Isuzu Malaysia to the next level in the local automotive industry,” Nakamura said.
