Masando Hashimoto was formally introduced as the new president of Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) during a ceremonial handover event held at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City. At 46 years old, Hashimoto becomes the youngest president in the history of Toyota Philippines. He succeeds Atsuhiro Okamoto, who led the company through a period marked by significant challenges, including navigating the impacts of the global health crisis, yet also overseeing remarkable resilience and growth for the Philippine economy.
"I came to the Philippines in January 2020 and was welcomed by Fireworks from the Taal Volcano eruption. Shortly after, the pandemic broke and posted unprecedented challenges to the world", Okamoto recalled. Nonetheless, TMP continues to persevere through the pandemic. By 2022, TMP had rebounded to operating levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Okamoto's guidance, TMP achieved a new milestone of record-high sales while also maintaining some of the highest standards for manufacturing quality and efficiency in Southeast Asia.
During his welcoming speech, TMP Chairman Alfred V. Ty extended his gratitude to the Toyota community and stakeholders for their steadfast support in advancing the company's vision of not only providing mobility products and services but also making substantial contributions to nation-building. Recognizing the stewardship of the departing TMP President, Ty highlighted Okamoto's exceptional leadership during difficult periods.
In his introduction of the new TMP President, Ty emphasized Hashimoto's extensive experience amassed over 24 years in the manufacturing sector, encompassing pivotal roles in global sales, business planning, Asia distribution and human resource management. The transition in leadership occurs as TMP persistently expands its business through the introduction of fresh mobility solutions and innovations across the automotive value chain. Additionally, TMP is gearing up for the domestic manufacturing of the IMV 0 (Zero) named Tamaraw, the company's third Completely Knocked Down (CKD) model and commercial vehicle revealed last year.
During his speech, Hashimoto emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration within the automotive sector and aimed to unlock the full potential of the Philippine workforce. "As [local] manufacturing remains at the core of its business, Toyota can have the best of both worlds of hardware for production quality and software for the [highly skilled] workforce", Hashimoto said. "As the youngest president in TMP's history, I would love to commit to becoming the most Genba-Oriented (people-centric, value-creation oriented) guy, turning my youth into strength, to give everything I've got", said Hashimoto.
The automotive sector has successfully rebounded from the effects of COVID-19, achieving total sales of 430,000 units in 2023, surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of 410,000 units recorded in 2019. This resurgence signifies the country's renewed momentum in motorization, which was temporarily halted by the pandemic. Toyota, maintaining its position as the Philippines' preferred car brand for the 22nd consecutive year, has set a new record in 2023 with sales exceeding the 200,000-unit milestone.