Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India shuffles top management ahead of EV foray

Japanese giant Honda Motor Company has announced top management changes in its Indian two-wheeler arm — Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) — on Wednesday.

The automaker has appointed Tsutsumu Otani as president, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of HMSI at a time when the two-wheeler company is gearing up for its electric foray.

Otani, who is now vice-president at Honda Motor, Japan, will replace Atsushi Ogata. Ogata is returning to Shanghai, as executive general manager at Honda Motor (China) Investment Company with effect from April 1, 2023. 

The company said Otani had started his career with Honda in Japan in 1997. In 2001, he served in the motorcycle section, responsible for Europe. In 2005, he joined Honda Italia Industriale S.P.A and worked there for five years.

Otani was also responsible for South America from the Japan headquarters, and later in 2011, he moved to Honda Motor Argentina. Thereafter, he was in Honda South America in 2013.

In his 26-year stint with the Honda Group, he has worked in sales planning and several other leadership positions across the globe.

Otani was appointed executive general manager in 2022 at the Shanghai branch of Honda Motor (China) Investment Company.

HMSI is establishing a new scooter manufacturing line at its Vithalpur factory in Gujarat. This is expected to boost its exports from India.

The company currently exports 18 models to 38 countries and hopes to grow these numbers to 20 models across 58 countries. As many as 10 new electric bikes and scooters are coming from HMSI in the near future.

Meanwhile, Ogata has led HMSI’s operations for three years. Typically, all deputations from the Japan headquarters are for a three-year period.

Along with this top-level change, Honda also announced some changes in its senior leadership team to ‘strategially steward’ the brand towards market leadership in future.

It also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier director — general & corporate affairs, strategic information system and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as senior director — human resource and administration, corporate affairs, information technology and Honda India Foundation.

The company said Yogesh Mathur, previously operating officer, sales and marketing, and Sanjeev Jain, earlier operating officer — new model purchase & parts strategy — are now elevated to the board of directors at HMSI.

Mathur, as director, will be responsible for customer service, logistics planning and control, premium motorcycle business along with sales and marketing, the company added.

On the other hand, Jain will look after the purchase and replace V Sridhar, who was senior director purchase and has retired.