Toyota publicizes chief swap, Kenta Kon new CEO

February 6, 2026

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Kon was chosen due to his cross-management expertise and an obvious confidence he can handle the corporate’s inner affairs. By Stewart Burnett

Toyota has unexpectedly switched up its high management, appointing Chief Monetary Officer Kenta Kon as its new Chief Govt, changing Koji Sato as of 1 April. Sato, who was appointed Chief Govt in 2023, will grow to be Vice Chairman and tackle a newly carved-out function because the automaker’s first Chief Business Officer.

Toyota mentioned in an announcement that Kon will deal with managing Toyota’s inner affairs whereas Sato will regulate developments within the broader automotive business. It additionally said that the switch-up was meant to speed up decision-making, making Toyota extra reactive to business disruptions. Notably, Sato assumed an extra function as Chairman of the Japan Car Producers Affiliation, the nation’s most vital business physique, in January 2026.

As Toyota’s Chief Monetary Officer, Kon has been on the forefront of efforts to enhance the automaker’s earnings construction. The corporate cited the cross-functional expertise Kon has gained at Woven by Toyota, its mobility experimental metropolis in central Japan.

The announcement comes because the bid to privatise Toyota Industries reaches its essential stage. Because it stands, the automaker must safe two thirds of all votes with a view to proceed—finally examine it had round 48%—and a few traders are pushing again arduous towards the hassle. Major opponent, Elliot Funding Group, maintains the minimal worth must be US$167 per share, roughly 38% greater than what Toyota has maintained is its ceiling. How Kon will navigate this bid stays to be seen.

Toyota recorded a web revenue of US$8bn for the final three months of 2025, down 43% from a 12 months earlier, with the underside line within the prior 12 months boosted by one-off positive factors associated to foreign-currency-denominated belongings. Tariffs and aggressive stress from Chinese language entrants, as is the case for many if not all world gamers, additionally continued to ebb away income. Nonetheless, the automaker lifted its full-year forecast for the monetary 12 months ending March, revising web revenue to US$22.8 bn, up 22% from earlier forecasts.

Toyota remained the world’s highest-selling automaker in 2025 as group gross sales rose 4.6% to a document 11.3 million automobiles. Gross sales development was led by Japan and the US, the place hybrid automobiles proved enduringly widespread following the elimination of federal electrical automobile tax credit. The corporate introduced in November it was investing greater than US$900m to extend hybrid manufacturing within the US to satisfy rising demand, a part of a wider plan to take a position roughly US$10bn within the nation by the remainder of the last decade.