Minoru Kato appointed as CEO of Honda Motorcyles and Scooter India

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced a top management change in Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI). Mr. Minoru Kato is appointed as new President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. with effect from 1st April 2017.

After spear-heading Honda’s Indian two-wheeler operations for six years, Mr. Keita Muramatsu – the current President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) will move on to assume a new role as Executive Vice President – American Honda Co., Inc.

Highlights of Mr. Keita Muramatsu’s career in India

During Mr. Muramatsu’s 6 year tenure in India, Honda 2Wheelers India rapidly grew to become the Number One contributor to Honda’s two-wheeler sales globally for the first time ever in 2016.

Under his vision, Honda 2Wheelers India aggressively invested in “Make in India” and expanded from single manufacturing plant in 2010-11 to 4 plants by 2016-17. This in turn increased the total annual production capacity from 16 lac to 58 lac units in same period.

By strategically meeting customer demand with supply, Honda 2Wheeler India’s sales sky-rocketed 200% from 16.56 lac units (FY’10-11) to planned 50 lac units (FY’16-17).
Under his leadership, Honda 2Wheelers India successfully doubled its market share from 13% to 27% and rose from 4th position to become 2nd largest two-wheeler company in India in just 6 years.

Another priority of Mr. Muramatsu was creating a distinct & differentiated image as the ONLY Honda in Indian two-wheeler industry. This gave birth to India specific brand direction ‘Sach Kar denge Sapne’ and emotional connect through brand ambassadors Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu.

During his stewardship of HMSI, Mr. Keita Muramatsu was recognized as the ‘Best CEO Multi-National Company’ by Forbes India and brand Honda 2Wheelers was recognized as a Superbrand and Most Trusted Brand (Gold Award for two-wheeler category) and is now among Top 50 Most trusted Brands (Economic Times Brand Equity survey 2016).

Introduction of Mr. Minoru Kato

Mr Minoru Kato will assume charge as the new President & CEO of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. from 1st April 2017, replacing Mr. Keita Muramatsu.

Born in 1965, Mr. Kato started his career in Honda Japan from 1988 in production control division of automobile operations at Saitama plant. From 1994 to 1998, he moved to motorcycle operations at Japan headquarter where he was involved in planning and subsequently domestic sales.

In 2001, Minaru Kato held the position of Manager at Honda Thailand. Four years later, he gained more experience of Asia Oceania region by taking over the same responsibility in Honda Indonesia. In 2007, he returned to Japan in business planning division of motorcycle operations.

Later in October 2011, he shifted base to U.K as the CEO of Honda Motor Europe Co., Ltd.
And most recently, Mr Minoru Kato held position as the CEO of Honda Vietnam Co., Ltd. from April 1st, 2014.

In his 29 years of rich experience within Honda, Mr Kato brings with him domain expertise from production control to motorcycle planning, sales across Europe and Japan, and South East Asia.

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