Automobile giants Toyota has appointed finance chief Kenta Kon as its next chief executive, replacing Koji Sato from April 1.
Kon, a close ally of Chairman Akio Toyoda, will take over as the world’s largest automaker faces intensifying competition from Chinese rivals.
Sato, who has led Toyota for three years, will become vice chairman and take on a new role as chief industry officer, focusing on broader industry matters while Kon concentrates on internal management and finances.
What do we know about Kon?
Kon joined Toyota Motor in 1991 after graduating from Tohoku University with a degree in economics and has since risen through the company’s accounting and finance ranks.
He is a board member and operating officer, and became chief financial officer in July 2025. In recent years, 57-year-old Kon has taken on an expanded role within Toyota’s push into wider mobility solutions and is a director at Woven by Toyota, the group’s software-focused technology unit.
He is also a director at Toyota Fudosan, the group’s real estate unit leading the buyout of Toyota Industries that has been opposed by activist shareholders.
Known for strict cost control, Kon also spearheaded the planned buyout of forklift subsidiary Toyota Industries, a deal opposed by minority shareholders for being underpriced and lacking transparency. Before rising through the finance department, Kon headed Toyota’s secretarial division under Toyoda.
