Koji Sato (engineer)

Koji Sato (佐藤 恒治, Satō Kōji; born October 19 1969) is a Japanese mechanical engineer. He became chief executive officer of Toyota in April 2023 and the President of the company in June 2023.[1] On April 1, 2026 Kenta Kon became President and CEO of Toyota, and Satō became vice chairman and assumed a new position as chief industry officer.[2][3]

Biography

Kōji Satō graduated from Waseda University in 1992 with a degree in mechanical engineering and joined the Toyota Group in April of the same year. As a young engineer in the 1990s and early 2000s, Sato worked directly on project-level development: he contributed to suspension design on early hybrid models and led development for vehicles like the North American Camry.[4] That technical grounding gave him intimate familiarity with Toyota’s core engineering and manufacturing values. Transitioning into premium/luxury and high-performance segments via Lexus and GAZOO Racing exposed him to branding, product positioning, and performance engineering.[4] Thus, his rise to CEO in 2023 was timed with a pivotal moment for the auto industry. As CEO, there is a renewed emphasis on design, customer-centric innovation, and diversified powertrain strategies that reflect both legacy and future mobility demands.[1]

In 2016, Satō took over the Lexus brand. In September 2020, he was also appointed President of the Motorsport/performance Division Toyota Gazoo Racing. He was made Chief Branding Officer in January 2021. In April 2023, he succeeded Akio Toyoda as CEO of Toyota.[5] He also became the President in June 2023.[1] In February 2026 Toyota announced its Chief financial officer Kenta Kon would take over as CEO on April 1.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Passing Toyota's Presidency Baton from Akio Toyoda to Koji Sato". Toyota Times. Toyota Motor Corporation. January 26, 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  2. 1 2 Miller, Caleb (February 6, 2026). "Toyota Appoints Kenta Kon as New CEO Amid Executive Reshuffling". Car and Driver. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  3. ↑ "Management Team Formation Change--Koji Sato Moves to Vice Chairman, Kenta Kon Named New President". Toyota Times. Toyota Motor Corporation. February 10, 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  4. 1 2 "Koji Sato". Toyota USA Newsroom. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  5. ↑ "Toyota's next president: Who is Koji Sato?". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
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