KYB Corporation has announced that Mr. Hajime Sato, currently General Manager for KYB global aftermarket business, is promoted to Executive Officer and will become President of KYB Thailand Co. Ltd. which is a large KYB original equipment and aftermarket manufacturing and distribution company. Mr. Sato previously spent over twenty years (in two assignments) at KYB Europe aftermarket headquarters near Dusseldorf, and successfully established and developed KYB aftermarket business in Europe, Russia and the Middle East.
Mr. Sato is to be replaced by Mr. Takashi Kitahata, who is appointed General Manager of global aftermarket sales and planning, based at KYB’s corporate headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Kitahata joined KYB in 1988, and from 1995 to 2002 worked alongside Mr. Sato for aftermarket business in Europe and Russia, before transferring to KYB’s North American aftermarket company in 2010 as President. From 2013 until 2015 he worked as Executive Vice President of KYB Americas Corporation, responsible for KYB aftermarket business in North, Central and South America.
Mike Howarth, President of KYB Europe Aftermarket, comments “Mr. Sato was my manager when I joined KYB in 1997, and for many years thereafter, and I wish him every success for his challenging new appointment as President of KYB Thailand Co.Ltd. He was responsible for the successful development of KYB aftermarket business in Europe, Russia and the Middle East, and also Central and South America, and Asia. I also worked alongside Kitahata-san when he was in Europe, after which we both worked in the North America aftermarket for five years. Consistency of leadership and management is central to KYB’s success in the global aftermarket”.
These management changes are effective from 1st April 2016.