New Toyota PH president Masando Hashimoto is an avid cyclist

There's a new executive at the reins of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP). Officially appointed as the new head of TMP is Masando Hashimoto. But instead of using his full name, the new TMP president would like to go by Masa for short. But this is not his first time in the Philippines.

2024 will be his second year in the country after joining TMP in January last year as the Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Masa, or you can use the more formal Hashimoto-San, started working for Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan) in 2007 but has been in the manufacturing industry since 2000. Over the last 24 years, Masa handled global sales, business planning, Asia distribution, and human resource management. 

“I used to only hear about the greatness of living and working in Manila. Now, I see it first-hand and feel the overwhelming warm accommodation and hospitality of Filipinos.  I am humbled to join an already outstanding team and thrilled to continue my own mobility journey in the Philippines. I look forward to learning more from everyone and exerting my best effort to keep Toyota as the most-loved mobility brand in the Philippines. To all our customers, Salamat po for making us Number One in your hearts. Gusto ko happy lahat sa Toyota. Kita-kits tayo,” said Masa in a statement.

Outgoing president Atsuhiro Okamoto will return to Toyota headquarters in Japan and take on a new regional sales role. Okamoto-San is a brilliant strategist, using his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Keio University to navigate TMP through the Taal Volcano eruption in 2020 and the pandemic shortly after.

If Okamoto-San is known as an avid golfer (brought his handicap down to 22 during his four-year tenure), Masa is a cyclist who is proud of his Giant gravel spec road bike. 40k rides are the norm and he is always geared up with a GPS navi device to track his performance.

After picking up its 21st Triple Crown (number one in passenger, commercial, and overall vehicle sales), TMP is poised to bring home number 22 after recording its best monthly sales in December 2023 by surpassing the 200,000-unit sales mark.