Akio Toyoda is best known to be the CEO and President of Toyota Motor Corporation, but he is also the Senior Adviser for Toyota Media Service Corporation, President of Hitachi Ltd. and Honda Motor Co., and Auditor for Toyota Boshoku Corporation. He has led his family business through global recession, and today, Toyota is one of the biggest car companies by sales. He supports manufacture of hydrogen fuel cell technology driven cars, instead of battery-powered ones.
He earned a law degree from the Keio University, and MBA from the Babson College. He joined his family business in 1984, and entered its Board of Directors in the year 2000. He became the Executive Vice President in 2005, and President in 2009. Under Akio’s leadership, the company has left behind Volkswagen with revenues worth $228 billion, and continued performance even during the tsunami and earthquakes of 2011.
Let us have a look at the Akio Toyota Family.
Akio Toyoda Grandparents: Kiichiro Toyoda and Hatako
Akio is the grandson of Kiichiro Toyoda, who was a Japanese businessman who took over his father’s business, Toyoda Loom Works, and took it into the vehicle manufacturing industry to create Toyota Motor Corporation. He became the President of the company in the 1940s, after which his son, Shoichiro Toyoda, became the company’s President. It was after Shoichiro became Chairman that Akio took over as the President.
Akio Toyoda Parents: Shoichiro Toyoda and Hiroko Mitsui
Shoichiro, Akio’s father, served as the Chairman of Toyota from 1992 to 1999, and also the Chairman of Japan Business Federation from 1994 to 1998. He joined his father’s business in 1952, and rose to the post of Managing Director by 1962.
He became Senior Managing Director of the company in 1967, Executive Vice President in 1972, and President of its marketing organization by 1981. He established Toyota Motor Corporation in 1982, and became its first President. After serving as the company’s Chairman from 1992 to 1999, after which he became its Honorary Chairman.
Akio Toyoda Marriage and Children
Akio is married, and has two children, one daughter and one son. The Toyodas usually do not involve their women in the business, due to which there is very little information about them.
Net worth
The net worth of Akio Toyoda has been estimated to be around $1 billion. He is counted among the most powerful people in the world, and AutoCar also named him the Man of the Year in 2012.