On the Dash:
- Mark Templin, Toyota Motor North America’s current executive vice president and COO, will become president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2027.
- Ted Ogawa will return to Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan as a Senior Fellow after serving as TMNA CEO through Dec. 31, 2026.
- Hiroshi Nambu, currently president of TMC’s Business Planning & Operation division, will succeed Templin as TMNA’s COO.
Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) announced a leadership transition effective January 1, 2027, under Mark Templin. Templin currently serves as TMNA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and will succeed Ted Ogawa as President and CEO.
Additionally, Hiroshi Nambu, currently President of Toyota Motor Corporation’s Business Planning & Operation division, will succeed Templin as COO.
According to the automaker’s announcement, Ogawa will remain CEO through Dec. 31, 2026, then serve as Senior Executive Advisor from January through March 2027. In April 2027, Ogawa will assume a Senior Fellow role at TMC in Japan, overseeing external affairs activities for some Toyota-owned businesses.
Ogawa’s manufacturing footprint
Ogawa has led Toyota’s North American operations as CEO since April 2020, guiding the company through the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and regulatory challenges. During his tenure, Toyota continued investing in manufacturing, technology and its workforce. His leadership also strengthened Toyota’s commitment to building vehicles where it sells them and supporting local communities through investment and job creation.
His major investments and milestones include:
- The 2025 opening of Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, the company’s first in-house battery plant outside Japan.
- Nearly $14 billion invested in the North Carolina facility, with the potential to create up to 5,100 jobs.
- Plans to invest up to $10 billion more in U.S. operations over five years, bringing Toyota’s total U.S. investment to nearly $60 billion.
- Toyota recently announced a $3.6 billion expansion of its San Antonio, Texas, manufacturing operations, expected to create about 2,000 jobs.
As President and CEO, Templin will oversee manufacturing, research and development, sales, marketing, product support and corporate functions. Ogawa cited in the company’s media release that Templin’s experience and vision are assets for building on Toyota’s North American foundation, saying, “As the automotive industry continues to evolve, he will strengthen our competitiveness, support our team members, dealers and suppliers, while delivering products and mobility solutions that meet our customers’ diverse needs.”
Meanwhile, Templin said Ogawa’s experience and perspective will remain valuable to Toyota in his new role at TMC, citing, “His experience and perspective will be invaluable in his new role at TMC. I’m honored to build on the foundation he established, working alongside our team members, dealers and suppliers to continue earning our customers’ trust and prepare Toyota for the opportunities ahead.”
Nambu experience across Toyota’s operations
Adding to the leadership changes, Nambu joined Toyota in 1993 after graduating from Keio University’s Faculty of Law. He previously worked at Toyota Motor Sales USA and helped coordinate product planning and development among Toyota’s U.S. sales, manufacturing and technical organizations from 2004 to 2007.
From 2013 to 2017, he worked in Japan sales, deepening his understanding of Toyota’s customer-first philosophy, genchi genbutsu and dealer partnerships. His career also includes roles in Corolla channel operations, product and cost planning transformation, and global business planning. Nambu said he looks forward to strengthening collaboration across Toyota’s North American operations and working with Templin, employees, dealers and suppliers.
