Honda Australia has announced the appointment of its new managing director and CEO, Mr. Satoshi Matsuzawa, who will commence in the role on 1 April.

Prior to his appointment to Australia Mr. Matsuzawa was general manager of Honda’s Overseas Operation office with responsibility for car and motorcycle operations for the Asia Oceania region, which includes Australia.

Mr. Matsuzawa, a mechanical engineer, commenced his career with Honda in 1982 in its Research & Development Centre before moving to Honda’s North Carolina operation in 1996.

He then transferred to Honda’s Asaka office in Japan in 2001, within the Power Products Division where he undertook the roles of block manager in Product Planning. In 2004 he was promoted to general manager of the Product Planning office before becoming general manager of Business Planning in 2005.

Mr. Matsuzawa replaces Honda Australia’s current managing director and CEO, Mr. Yasuhide Mizuno, who has been appointed president of Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd, in Wuhan Province, China.