Toyota Motor announces leadership reshuffle — Who is new CEO Kenta Kon, ‘mastermind’ behind subsidiary buyout?

Japanese automotive giant Toyota Motor Corporation announced today that it has made changes to its leadership team, effective April 1, 2026. He added that the decision was approved at the 122nd Ordinary General Assembly Meeting.

According to the company, officer appointments as of April 1 are as follows:

• President and CEO Koji Sato will be appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Industry Officer (CIO).
• Kenta Kon will instead be appointed President and CEO from his current position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• The statement stated that Kon will focus on internal management, while Sato will focus on the broader industry.

Surprise change in Toyota Motor Corp management

Widely seen as a surprise change in management, the Bloomberg report noted that the move comes amid a high-profile bid by the world’s largest automaker to privatize Toyota Industries, a key subsidiary of the company.

The change of duty and appointment changes were also officially announced by Sato at the press conference held on February 6, 2026 at 15.30 local time.

According to the Bloomberg report, Sato, while providing detailed information about his duties, said that he would use his position as chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association to guide the broader industry.

The statement, initially published on the website in Japanese, stated that the purpose of this change is to increase the speed of management decision-making during internal and external changes. He also added that they aim to establish a system that can firmly fulfill Toyota’s mission of “serving the country through industry”.

Sato, in particular, has held the job for only three years (he was appointed in 2023) and has faced increasing scrutiny that the company is planning to acquire subsidiary Toyota Industries. Critics claim the deal lacks transparency and is grossly underpriced, according to a report by Reuters.

If completed, the acquired arm will come under the control of Toyota Fudosan Co., an unlisted real estate company headed by Akio Toyoda, part of the Toyota conglomerate, and where Kon is a director.

Who is Kenta Kon, the ‘brain’ behind the acquisition of Toyota Industries?

The Bloomberg report stated that Kon, 57, was a known “lieutenant” of Akio Toyoda and served as his secretary for eight years. He worked for the company for over 30 years, since 1991.

“Kon has served as a close aide to Akio Toyoda since his days as Toyoda’s secretary, and communication between the two is known to be extremely seamless. Kon stands out not only for his experience and talent, but also for his friendly, open and accessible communication style,” said Tatsuo Yoshida, senior auto analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

“I am very strict about money and numbers,” Kon told reporters in Tokyo. This likely reflects his mindset as he steps into the role amid headwinds from industry tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump and broader ambitions to streamline the auto industry’s business interests while competing with nimbler rivals.

Kon is seen as the “brains” behind the acquisition of Toyota Industries, according to James Hong, an analyst at Macquarie Securities Korea. “Kon has more experience in dealing with the company’s financial problems than Sato-san, who comes from the product development side,” he told Reuters.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Hong said Kon’s appointment as CEO “is a good sign of the business transformation that Toyota is trying to achieve.”

(With input from institutions)