Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Announces New President & CEO

Takeo Fukui, the current President & CEO (left) and Takanobu Ito (right) soon to be the seventh President & Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor effective in late June 2009.

I must say as to this news, the new guys name isn't as fun to try and pronounce as the old one....

TOKYO, Japan, February 23, 2009–Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor) announced that Takanobu Ito, currently the company's Senior Managing Director, will become the seventh President & Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor effective in late June 2009. Takeo Fukui, the current President & CEO, will remain on the board and assume the post of Director and Advisor to Honda Motor. This management succession will occur following the final decision of the Honda Motor Board of Directors after the company's annual shareholders' meeting, scheduled for late June 2009.

Ito joined Honda in 1978, and began his career in its automobile research and development operations, principally as an engineer in the area of chassis design. Ito was in charge of developing the all-aluminum uni-body frame structure for the mid-engine NSX sports car that went on sale in 1990, a world's first for a production vehicle of any volume. Ito also took on responsibilities as the person-in-charge of developing a series of compact sedans for the Japanese market in the early 1990's.

From April 1998 to March 2000, Ito was stationed in the U.S. as Executive Vice President of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., where he became actively involved in the development of the Acura brand's first sport-utility vehicle, the MDX (which went on sale in the U.S. in October 2000).

In June 2000, Ito was appointed to the Board of Directors of Honda Motor, simultaneously gaining promotion to Managing Director of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. (Honda R&D). He subsequently became President and Director of Honda R&D in June 2003. Ito also took on a role in the area of manufacturing as General Manager of Honda's Suzuka Factory in April 2005.

In April 2007, Ito became Honda Motor's Chief Operating Officer of Automobile Operations and a Senior Managing Director from June of the same year.

From April 2009, he will again assume the top position of President and Director of Honda R&D, a position he will continue to hold concurrently after the successful appointment as President & CEO of Honda Motor expected in late June 2009.

Takeo Fukui has served as Honda Motor's President & CEO since assuming the position in June 2003. During the six years of Fukui's leadership, Honda was able to actively evolve its global manufacturing structure, notably the establishment of a U.S. automobile plant in Indiana and the decision to set up two manufacturing facilities - the Yorii and Ogawa plants - in Saitama, Japan.

Furthermore, Fukui enabled the company to make forays into new business areas, including the establishment of both the jet engine and aircraft businesses, and making a full-scale entry into the solar cell business with Honda's original next-generation solar cell. Also under Fukui's leadership, the company continued to demonstrate its leadership in reducing CO2 emissions through both technology and product innovations. Honda's firm commitment to reduce CO2 output on a global scale was underlined in 2006, when it announced company-wide reduction targets for CO2 emitted from its product lineups as well as from its production lines. The realization of the all-new Insight as an affordable product was an outcome of Fukui's strong guidance, based on the belief that hybrid vehicles must become accessible to more people if the technology is to contribute to reductions in CO2 output.

Fukui joined Honda as an engineer in 1969, and became a member of the project team that developed the Honda CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine. Fukui also has extensive experience in the company's motorcycle development and racing operations. In 1988, he became a member of the Honda Motor Board of Directors, subsequently assuming responsibilities as General Manager of the Suzuka Factory, President of Honda of America Mfg., Inc., President and Director of Honda R&D, and most recently, President & CEO of Honda Motor, a title he has held since June 2003.

Source;

http://world.honda.com/news/2009/c090223New-President-CEO/

Honda supports U.S. loan package

Honda has endorsed the American government's decision to provide the Detroit 3 with a $25 billion loan, describing the aid package as “totally proper” and important for the development of more fuel-efficient models.

According to the carmaker’s CEO Takeo Fukui, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were all too slow to respond to the current fuel price crisis, and this is the reason why they are in such dire financial positions. His support for the American government's bailout plan also stems from the fact that Honda sources parts from many of the same manufacturers that these companies do, and if any of the Detroit 3 goes bankrupt there’s a strong chance that many of its suppliers could too.

While the Detroit 3 are all suffering from dropping sales, Honda’s numbers are expected to increase this year compared with the last. This is because sales in emerging markets such as China and India continue to increase despite the global economic downturn, reports The Detroit News.

Fukui also attributed Honda's success to its focus on high mileage models, and its decision not to "dabble" in the pickup truck segment. While the Detroit 3 built its customer base and bottom lines on the back of these lucrative truck sales, Honda's non-American markets were not so focused on these segments. Sales of its sedan models have proven so popular the carmaker is cutting back production on its Odyssey MPV and Pilot SUV in order to boost capacity for its Civic and Accord.

The carmaker’s next major sales boost is expected to come from a new generation of hybrid vehicles, including a production version of the Insight concept as well as hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z concept.

Source;
http://www.motorauthority.com/honda-supports-us-loan-package.html

2008 Paris Motor Show Remarks by Takeo Fukui, President and CEO of Honda Motor Co., LTD

10/02/2008 - PARIS -
Good morning ladies and gentlemen... and thank you for joining Honda. It is great to be in Paris again... a trendsetting city where... today... we plan to introduce the concept for a trendsetting new vehicle.

The need to reduce CO2 emissions is a global challenge that transcends all national borders. Honda is addressing this challenge with technologies for the current, near and long-term.

Today we are introducing an all-new Jazz in Europe... with an enhanced design... even greater utility... while further reducing fuel consumption. And it achieves the number one fuel efficiency for B-segment petrol vehicles. To help us meet increasing global demand for high fuel efficiency cars, we will begin production of Jazz at our plant in the U.K. next year.

For the long term, we believe fuel cell electric vehicle technology is the ultimate environmental solution. And we have begun introducing the industry- leading Honda FCX Clarity to individual customers to advance this technology.

But to reduce CO2 emissions in the near term, Honda believes the best approach is to advance hybrid technology to mainstream customers. And the foundation of our efforts is the Honda Company Principle that has guided our business for more than 50 years. Maintaining a global viewpoint... with products of the highest quality... at a reasonable price... for worldwide customer satisfaction.

Today, we introduce a hybrid vehicle concept model... the all-new Honda Insight... that takes this principle into action. The original Insight was a 2-seat subcompact car. Introduced in 1999, it was a pioneer for petrol-electric hybrid technology in Europe and North America... as the very first commercially available hybrid car in these markets. We applied new technologies to achieve the number one fuel efficiency in the industry. These included the ultimate in aerodynamic design... an all-aluminum body and new processes for aluminum body production... and the compact IMA hybrid system.

The all-new Honda Insight will also be a pioneer... challenging to take hybrid technology into a new era of affordability. This new Insight will give more people the chance to get behind the wheel of a high quality hybrid vehicle only Honda can develop. Following the advanced aerodynamic design of FCX Clarity, Insight is a 5-seat 5-door hatchback... with room for a family.

We are developing this vehicle to achieve excellent fuel efficiency on par with Civic Hybrid... but at a significantly reduced price. The new Insight is equipped with a hybrid system that combines a lightweight and compact 1.3-liter engine with a motor that will achieve excellent fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions.

We created a newly developed platform with the control unit and battery under the cargo space. As a result, Insight achieves excellent utility together with light and comfortable driving feel to offer a "Fun to Drive" spirit.

This new Insight represents the further advance of our concept of offering a hybrid for everyone. We have further reduced the weight and size of the hybrid system. And we have improved and strengthened our production system to further reduce the cost of our hybrid system.

While we continue to view the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle as the ultimate solution, we will position Insight as an environmentally-responsible vehicle available to everyone now. The mass-production Insight will go on sale in Europe, Japan, and North America in spring 2009... with expected annual global sales of 200,000 units.

The new Insight marks the start of a new phase in our hybrid vehicle strategy... that will also include the Civic Hybrid, a new vehicle based on the CR-Z concept vehicle and a new Jazz hybrid. We expect combined annual sales to reach approximately 500,000 units.

As a next step... we plan to unveil the mass-production model of Insight next January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. But, now, it is my pleasure to give you this first look at the Insight Concept model. Thank you for your attention.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/categories/1097/releases/4821