New boss details background and awaits significant local milestone after settling-in period
The recently appointed Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) MD and CEO Hiroko Yaguchi has related her confidence on where the firm she now leads is heading and taken the opportunity to relate her background to the local market.
“I am familiar with the Australian market and operations from my role as general manager of the International Sales Department which has responsibility for a broad range of international markets including Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America, and Europe, including Turkey and Russia,” she says.
“I held this position since early 2016, and before that was manager of overseas sales for Central America and the Caribbean for 10 years and then Southwest Asia for five years.
“Prior to this, I held a number of positions in other overseas markets including Panama, Taiwan, Latin America and Europe, and in the more than 30-year career I have spent with Isuzu, I have been fortunate to visit over 40 countries in the course of my work.
“It’s this understanding of the broader Isuzu organisation – and the unique requirements that each individual market has – that will assist me in working with the talented team here in Australia to continue the excellent effort and success that has been attained over many years.
“It’s a remarkable track record that has been achieved here in Australia and I look forward to building on the 28 years of market leadership and helping the organisation accomplish even more success in the years ahead.”
Yaguchi formally took up the position at the start of June, but the process of local familiarisation commenced in May to ensure a smooth transition into the appointment.
She attended the recent Brisbane Truck Show to meet with some of IAL’s biggest customers, and completed a tour of the larger Isuzu dealers across the country to gain a detailed insight into IAL’s operations and how the company functions.
“It’s an honour to be joining IAL at such an important time in the company’s history,” Yaguchi says.
“We are fast approaching a very significant milestone in three decades of unbroken market leadership and I want to work with everyone here to ensure that we secure this achievement and many more years of success.”