Former Acura NSX Chassis Designer Becomes New Honda CEO
07-08-09, 08:55 AM
#1
G35x - RWD/AWD goodness
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Former Acura NSX Chassis Designer Becomes New Honda CEO
Takeo Fukui (left), outgoing Honda CEO, poses with his successor, Takanobu Ito.
New Honda CEO Ito designed the aluminum body for the Acura NSX in the late 1980s.
TOKYO — Honda marked a changing of the guard here on Tuesday with an official gathering to mark the coming of Takanobu Ito, Honda's new president and CEO. Ito, who officially became Honda chief on June 25, takes over a Honda Motor that has fared better than Toyota and Nissan in the global economic downturn so far.
Even so, with Ito now at the helm, Honda is looking for a new direction.
Honda needs to regroup and recapture the spirit of the past, said Ito, who is heading up both Honda and its engineering division, Honda R&D, so that quick decisions can be made and forced through to combat the current crisis.
Insiders say Ito has already moved swiftly to shake up Honda's future product line for the better, although the first fruits of this revolution will likely be two to three years away at the soonest.
Ito takes over from Takeo Fukui, who had been Honda president for the past six years. Unusually for Honda CEOs, Ito is not an engine guy. Instead, he climbed the ladder as a chassis designer and in the late 1980s was put in charge of developing the all-aluminum body for the groundbreaking Acura NSX supercoupe.
He has also worked in the U.S., where he was actively involved in the creation of the first Acura MDX. In 2007, Ito became Honda's COO for automobile operations.
Inside Line says: Honda over the past decade has grown to become a hugely successful world-class company, but still, many feel some of the Honda spirit of the past has been lost. With luck, some of that will now come back. — Peter Nunn, Correspondent
Even so, with Ito now at the helm, Honda is looking for a new direction.
Honda needs to regroup and recapture the spirit of the past, said Ito, who is heading up both Honda and its engineering division, Honda R&D, so that quick decisions can be made and forced through to combat the current crisis.
Insiders say Ito has already moved swiftly to shake up Honda's future product line for the better, although the first fruits of this revolution will likely be two to three years away at the soonest.
Ito takes over from Takeo Fukui, who had been Honda president for the past six years. Unusually for Honda CEOs, Ito is not an engine guy. Instead, he climbed the ladder as a chassis designer and in the late 1980s was put in charge of developing the all-aluminum body for the groundbreaking Acura NSX supercoupe.
He has also worked in the U.S., where he was actively involved in the creation of the first Acura MDX. In 2007, Ito became Honda's COO for automobile operations.
Inside Line says: Honda over the past decade has grown to become a hugely successful world-class company, but still, many feel some of the Honda spirit of the past has been lost. With luck, some of that will now come back. — Peter Nunn, Correspondent
07-08-09, 12:38 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
If this guy Takanobu Ito can do what he did with the NSX's chassis and transfer that to Honda and Acura, there will be some very exciting new vehicles coming from Honda in the future.
07-08-09, 12:59 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
This was announced earlier this year.
Well for one technically it was the Honda NSX....and outside of that they only mention the 1st gen MDX as something he is credited for.
Ito is slated to direct both Honda Motor Corp. and Honda R&D, with a decided focus on the R&D part of the equation. The new executive structure (previously the jobs were separate) will reportedly better focus the company's future development decision making in these tough economic times.
This press release reads similar to Toyota's with their new CEO. Here is more on him
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/23/h...ident-and-ceo/
PRESS RELEASE:
2009.02.23
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Announces New President & CEO
Tokyo, February 23, 2009 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor) today announced that Takanobu Ito, currently the company's Senior Managing Director, will become the seventh President & Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor effective in late June 2009. Takeo Fukui, the current President & CEO, will remain on the board and assume the post of Director and Advisor to Honda Motor. This management succession will occur following the final decision of the Honda Motor Board of Directors after the company's annual shareholders' meeting, scheduled for late June 2009.
Ito joined Honda in 1978, and began his career in its automobile research and development operations, principally as an engineer in the area of chassis design. Ito was in charge of developing the all-aluminum uni-body frame structure for the mid-engine NSX sports car that went on sale in 1990, a world's first for a production vehicle of any volume. Ito also took on responsibilities as the person-in-charge of developing a series of compact sedans for the Japanese market in the early 1990's.
From April 1998 to March 2000, Ito was stationed in the U.S. as Executive Vice President of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., where he became actively involved in the development of the Acura brand's first sport-utility vehicle, the MDX (which went on sale in the U.S. in October 2000).
In June 2000, Ito was appointed to the Board of Directors of Honda Motor, simultaneously gaining promotion to Managing Director of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. (Honda R&D). He subsequently became President and Director of Honda R&D in June 2003. Ito also took on a role in the area of manufacturing as General Manager of Honda's Suzuka Factory in April 2005.
In April 2007, Ito became Honda Motor's Chief Operating Officer of Automobile Operations and a Senior Managing Director from June of the same year.
From April 2009, he will again assume the top position of President and Director of Honda R&D, a position he will continue to hold concurrently after the successful appointment as President & CEO of Honda Motor expected in late June 2009.
# # #
Takanobu Ito
Date of Birth August 29, 1953
Education Kyoto University, M. Eng. Engineering
Professional Experience <Date> <Professional Experience>
Apr. 1978 Joined Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Jun. 1997 Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Apr. 1998 Executive Vice President, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
Jun. 2000 Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Managing Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Jun. 2001 Senior Managing Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Jun. 2003 President and Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Managing Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Motor Sports
Apr. 2004 General Supervisor, Motor Sports
Apr. 2005 General Manager, Suzuka Factory, Production Operations
Jun. 2005 Managing Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Apr. 2007 Chief Operating Officer, Automobile Operations
Jun. 2007 Senior Managing Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02...-the-old-boss/
He doesn't seem to be a fan of electric cars.
Well for one technically it was the Honda NSX....and outside of that they only mention the 1st gen MDX as something he is credited for.
Ito is slated to direct both Honda Motor Corp. and Honda R&D, with a decided focus on the R&D part of the equation. The new executive structure (previously the jobs were separate) will reportedly better focus the company's future development decision making in these tough economic times.
This press release reads similar to Toyota's with their new CEO. Here is more on him
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/23/h...ident-and-ceo/
PRESS RELEASE:
2009.02.23
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Announces New President & CEO
Tokyo, February 23, 2009 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor) today announced that Takanobu Ito, currently the company's Senior Managing Director, will become the seventh President & Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor effective in late June 2009. Takeo Fukui, the current President & CEO, will remain on the board and assume the post of Director and Advisor to Honda Motor. This management succession will occur following the final decision of the Honda Motor Board of Directors after the company's annual shareholders' meeting, scheduled for late June 2009.
Ito joined Honda in 1978, and began his career in its automobile research and development operations, principally as an engineer in the area of chassis design. Ito was in charge of developing the all-aluminum uni-body frame structure for the mid-engine NSX sports car that went on sale in 1990, a world's first for a production vehicle of any volume. Ito also took on responsibilities as the person-in-charge of developing a series of compact sedans for the Japanese market in the early 1990's.
From April 1998 to March 2000, Ito was stationed in the U.S. as Executive Vice President of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., where he became actively involved in the development of the Acura brand's first sport-utility vehicle, the MDX (which went on sale in the U.S. in October 2000).
In June 2000, Ito was appointed to the Board of Directors of Honda Motor, simultaneously gaining promotion to Managing Director of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. (Honda R&D). He subsequently became President and Director of Honda R&D in June 2003. Ito also took on a role in the area of manufacturing as General Manager of Honda's Suzuka Factory in April 2005.
In April 2007, Ito became Honda Motor's Chief Operating Officer of Automobile Operations and a Senior Managing Director from June of the same year.
From April 2009, he will again assume the top position of President and Director of Honda R&D, a position he will continue to hold concurrently after the successful appointment as President & CEO of Honda Motor expected in late June 2009.
# # #
Takanobu Ito
Date of Birth August 29, 1953
Education Kyoto University, M. Eng. Engineering
Professional Experience <Date> <Professional Experience>
Apr. 1978 Joined Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Jun. 1997 Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Apr. 1998 Executive Vice President, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
Jun. 2000 Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Managing Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Jun. 2001 Senior Managing Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Jun. 2003 President and Director, Honda R&D Co., Ltd.
Managing Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Motor Sports
Apr. 2004 General Supervisor, Motor Sports
Apr. 2005 General Manager, Suzuka Factory, Production Operations
Jun. 2005 Managing Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Apr. 2007 Chief Operating Officer, Automobile Operations
Jun. 2007 Senior Managing Director, Honda Motor Co., Ltd
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02...-the-old-boss/
He doesn't seem to be a fan of electric cars.
