Ozamu Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation yesterday announced changes to its executive board, the most significant being the appointment of Toshihiro Suzuki - the son of Suzuki chairman and CEO Ozamu Suzuki - to the post of president and COO.

The elder Suzuki retains his position of chairman and CEO and remains at the helm of the company, but the appointment of 56-year-old Toshihiro to the new post is seen as effectively designating him as Ozamu Suzuki's eventual successor, Automotive News reports.

Prior to his new role, which began with effect yesterday, Toshihiro Suzuki was one of four executive vice-presidents appointed in 2011 to run the daily operations of the country's fourth-largest automaker.

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The company also announced its New Mid-Term Plan Suzuki Next 100, a five-year plan from 2015 in which the automaker will be looking into strengthening and stabilising its management base as well as developing its manufacturing base globally. The automaker also stated its intent to overhaul its working procedure.

The plan's business strategy will include concentrating on mini to C-segment models as well as SUV offerings to correspond to the expanding global compact car market. Suzuki also said it will be looking to consolidate platforms and concentrate on the development of gasoline engines, and added that it plans to introduce 20 models globally in the next five years.

Working out from Japan and India, the company says that Asia will be the main region of focus, saying that it will be making Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Hungary its production bases for the manufacture of its global cars. The automaker is of course also set to work with Proton, having signed an MoU and Licence Agreement with the Malaysian carmaker last month.