Toyota SA promotes Kirby to CEO to ease Van Zyl's workload

Kirby will become president and CEO on 1 April. Van Zyl, who has run the company since 2002 - the year the Japanese parent bought control from the founding Wessels family - will become chairman. Van Zyl will also step down from his role as CEO of Toyota's Africa region, to be replaced by Tokyo-based Takeshi Isogaya. However, he will remain CEO of the global company's Europe region, based in Brussels.

Van Zyl has been operating under extraordinary pressure since 1 April last year, when his European appointment meant he was simultaneously head of activities in SA, Africa and Europe. The three jobs have required him to spend two weeks of every month in Brussels, one in Tokyo and one in SA. Toyota SA builds cars and commercial vehicles in Durban but its corporate headquarters are in Johannesburg. The Europe region alone has eight manufacturing plants.

Unexpected strain

At the time of his European appointment, Van Zyl said he expected his combined workload to be "manageable". But, back in Johannesburg last month, he admitted privately that the strain of the three jobs was getting to him. He also recently relinquished his position as president of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA. He was replaced by Nissan SA MD Mike Whitfield.

Toyota SA last month launched the eighth generation of its main locally built product, the Hilux bakkie - the result of an investment thought to be worth nearly R5bn. The Durban assembly plant has capacity to build up to 140,000 of the vehicles annually. With 56 export markets in Africa and Europe, nearly 50% of production is likely to be shipped overseas. Durban also builds the Corolla and Quest cars, and the Quantum Ses'fikile minibus taxi.

In a statement yesterday, the global company, Toyota Motor, said Van Zyl's experience would not be lost to Toyota SA. "His role will be of a more strategic nature and he will continue to guide and support the Toyota SA management," it said.

Source: Business Day