Suzuki Motor chairman to retire after leading firm for over 40 years

Japan Times -- Feb 25

Suzuki Motor Corp. Chairman Osamu Suzuki will retire after leading the Japanese automaker for more than 40 years and making it into a global player with an overwhelming dominance in the Indian car market, the firm said Wednesday.

The 91-year-old chairman will leave the post at a shareholders' meeting slated for June and become an adviser, it said. Suzuki has served as either president, chairman or CEO of the company, known for its minivehicles and motorcycles, since 1978.

"I decided to give way to successors to promote a midterm business plan," which the Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture-based company released the same day, Suzuki said during an online news conference.

Under the plan, Suzuki aims to achieve sales of ¥4.8 trillion ($46 billion) in fiscal 2025, up from ¥3.49 trillion in fiscal 2019, and widely expand its electrification of vehicles from 2025.

Suzuki joined the automaker in 1958 when he married into its founding family. He took the family name of his wife, the daughter of then President Shunzo Suzuki.

Feb 25 (ANNnewsCH) - 40年以上にわたり『スズキ』を引っ張ってきた鈴木修会長(91)が、経営の一線から退くことを決めました。“軽自動車”で国内の確固たる地位を確保。社長時代に進出したインドでは、2台に1台がスズキの車となります。2019年には、トヨタ自動車と資本提携を結び、次の時代への新たな道も作りました。今後は、息子である鈴木俊宏社長に権限を大幅に委譲するということです。