New faces, new phases

NEW Isuzu Philippines Corp. president Nobuo Izumina

Last April 11, Isuzu Philippines Corp. formally introduced its new company president to the motoring media at a luncheon held at Makati Shangri-La Hotel. By May 3, Nobuo Izumina officially replaces Ryoji Yamazaki, who was assigned managing director of Isuzu Car Life, an affiliate of Isuzu Motors Ltd. (IML). The 56-year-old Izumina has accumulated 33 years of work experience with IML, handling overseas operations.  In 1993, he was appointed vice president for business management at Isuzu Motors America in Los Angeles, California, returning to IML in Japan in 1999 wherein he  was named general manager of the sales department for the company’s operations in Europe, Oceania, Central and South America. In 2009, he landed the post of chair and chief executive officer for Isuzu Motors Mexico.

Izumina is slated to hold this leadership position for a three-year term. “The Asean region presently holds dynamic growth opportunities for vehicle manufacturers,” he said. adding that “among the markets in the region, the Philippines is in one of the best positions to capitalize on this potential, thanks to the country’s rising economy and the improving purchasing power of its expanding middle class. It is therefore challenging for me to head IPC and to cater to the Philippine market in my first posting in the Asean.”

More changes

Lexus Manila Inc. last month welcomed a new executive vice president, Osamu Shinohara, who took over from Masaki Shimomura. Berjaya Auto Philippines, the new Mazda distributor for the country, has a new corporate communications and community supervisor Sherylin Co, who left Suzuki Philippines recently. She takes on the responsibilities of Kristoff Arcega, who left Berjaya early this year. Her colleague in Suzuki, Je Brion-Borromeo joins another Ayala company, Automobile Central Enterprise Inc.,  that will distribute Volkswagen very soon in the local market. She is joined by Andros Villaraza, who left CATS Motors Inc. last year. Villaraza was in charge of the Mercedes-Benz brand under CATS Motors for close to 10 years and is quite marketing-savvy when it comes to the European car market.  Another European brand, Peugeot, also welcomed Pauline Gonzales as its new marketing manager at Eurobrands Distributor Inc., the country’s brand distributor. Gonzales was drafted from sister company Asian Carmakers Corp., the country’s distributor of BMW vehicles.