From Business Day Live

A global management shake-up at Toyota Motor has hit African shores, with local Toyota chief Johan van Zyl called in to head the new position of CEO of Toyota’s operations across Africa.

Dr van Zyl, a “giant of the local motor industry” according to Econometrix chief economist Azar Jammine, is one of two non-Japanese executives now tasked with heading a region, along with Toyota America’s Jim Lentz. It is a demonstration of the conservative Japanese company’s desire to embrace its global appeal and its targeting of Africa as a key emerging market.

“Toyota has been restructured into two main businesses,” Dr van Zyl told Business Day on Friday.

“There is Toyota Number One, which is the developed markets (the US, Europe and Japan), and Toyota Number Two, which are the developing markets. Under that I have been appointed CEO of the Africa region,” he said.

Read more at bdlive.co.za