Photo by Ulysses Ang

Isuzu Philippines Corporation has formally introduced last April 11 at Makati Shangri-La Hotel a new company president.  On May 3, Nobuo Izumina officially replaced Ryoji Yamazaki, who was assigned Managing Director of Isuzu Car Life, an affiliate of Isuzu Motors Limited (IML). Izumina, 56, brings with him 33 years of work experience with IML handling overseas operations.

Born in Tokyo, Izumina was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors Isuzu Camiones Andinos in Bogota, Colombia. He joined IML’s Production Control Department in 1980, a month after receiving a degree in Economics from the Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. He rose through the ranks  having been assigned to the company’s Overseas Distribution Department, and later as Manager of the Sales Department handling North America.

Izumina’s experience in foreign operations from Isuzu’s Japan headquarters paved the way for his eventual postings abroad, and in 1993 was appointed Vice President for Business Management at Isuzu Motors America in Los Angeles, California. He returned to IML in Japan in 1999 and was named General Manager of the Sales Department for the company’s operations in Europe, Oceania, Central and South America. In 2009, he landed the post of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Isuzu Motors Mexico.

“The ASEAN region presently holds dynamic growth opportunities for vehicle manufacturers,” said Izumina. “And among the markets in the region, the Philippines is in one of the best positions to capitalize on this potential, thanks to the country’s rising economy and the improving purchasing power of its expanding middle class. It is therefore  challenging for me to head IPC and to cater to the Philippine market in my first posting in the ASEAN.”

Izumina is poised to take on the accomplishments that Yamazaki managed for IPC during his three-year tenure, which include bolstering the Isuzu Crosswind’s market position to record levels unreached since 2004; registering for IPC in 2012 the company’s best annual sales performance since 2004; ensuring the continued market dominance of the Isuzu N-Series light-duty truck, which in 2012 has led its segment for a record 14 straight years; having expanded IPC’s network to 21 dealerships and 15 satellite offices nationwide; garnering an ISO 14001:2004 Certification for IPC’s world-class manufacturing facilities in Laguna; and marking IPC’s 150,000th-unit production and sales milestone on the occasion of the company’s 15th Inaugural Anniversary last year.

“The Isuzu brand has some of the best products that suit the Philippine market’s needs and tastes,” said Yamazaki. “In a competitive environment it is crucial to constantly evolve with the market, as well as to continuously innovate, in order to benefit from the opportunities now presented by a strong economy. IPC’s unrelenting commitment toward local manufacturing will bolster not only its position but also the growth of the domestic automotive industry.”

Isuzu Philippines Corporation—which is co-owned by Isuzu Motors Limited (35 percent), Mitsubishi Corporation (35 percent), Ayala Corporation (15 percent) and RCBC (15 percent)—boasts a complete line of commercial vehicles and diesel power trains. It currently sells the Alterra SUV, the Crosswind AUV, the D-MAX pickup, the N-Series light-duty truck, the Forward medium-duty truck, the C & E Series heavy-duty truck, and, buses.