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Toyota Announces New President for European Operations
Toyota has appointed Didier Leroy President of Toyota Motor Europe (TME), effective June 24, 2010**. Didier Leroy will be responsible for overseeing all of Toyota’s European operations, including manufacturing, engineering, sales and marketing; he will also retain his current titles of Managing Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Chief Quality Officer. He replaces Tadashi Arashima, who will retire from his current positions.
Didier Leroy, a French citizen now aged 52, joined Toyota in 1998 as a Vice-President in charge of Manufacturing to set up the new Toyota factory in Valenciennes, France. He managed Toyota Motor Manufacturing France's rapid growth and became President of the plant in 2005. In 2007, Didier Leroy was appointed a Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation and an Executive Vice-President of Toyota Motor Europe (TME). In this latter role, he focused on improving the operational efficiency of TME’s European manufacturing plants. In 2009, Didier Leroy was assigned to the new responsibility of Executive Vice-President of the Sales Functions of TME.
“I am very honoured to have been appointed to this new position of TME President", Didier Leroy commented. "I look forward to working closely with all of Toyota’s European family to support the sustained development of Toyota's operations in Europe, based on our key priorities of superior quality and customer satisfaction. We will work hard to further strengthen the Toyota and Lexus line-ups in Europe, combining environmental performance and driving pleasure, with vehicles tailored to meet the expectations of European customers."
"In the name of the whole company, I would like to thank Mr Arashima for his strong direction and leadership during the 10 years he was directly involved with TME", Didier Leroy continued. "He strove tirelessly to establish our company in Europe, integrating R&D, manufacturing and marketing and sales under a unified European organisation. Through this, he has also ensured the maximum contribution of Toyota to the European economy and society through stable employment and local innovation."
**Pending approval at the TME Board of Directors Meeting, to be held on June 24, 2010, immediately after the TMC Ordinary General Shareholders' Meeting.

