First woman MD, CEO for Honda Malaysia

HONDA Malaysia Sdn Bhd recently welcomed its first woman managing director and CEO Madoka Chujo, who succeeded Toichi Ishiyama.

Chujo officially assumed office in Malaysia on April 1. Prior to this role, she was the vice president at Honda Canada Inc, strategising the company’s sales and marketing since 2019.

Her career in Honda began 23 years ago in 1997 and over the years, she has held various roles in Japan, China and Spain, other than Canada. Her expertise and experience are in the area of sales strategy during her various stints in the countries she served.

Commenting on her new role at Honda Malaysia, Chujo said: “Malaysia is indeed an important market in the Asia and Oceania region with Honda Malaysia achieving various significant sales milestones and have become one of the leading automotive brands in the country.

“I am looking forward and excited for my first assignment as the MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia and at the same time I am also eager to explore Malaysia as the country is unique and a melting pot of diverse cultures and people, with enormous potential and of course a fast-paced work environment.”

Chujo’s predecessor Ishiyama joined Honda Malaysia in November 2017 and his first launch in Malaysia was the world’s fastest front-wheel-drive production car, the Civic Type R, in 2017.

Throughout the following years, Ishiyama also launched various new models, most notably the fifth-generation City as well as the world premiere of RS e:HEV in October last year.

At that world premiere, Honda’s e:Technology initiative was officially introduced for the first time in the Asia and Oceania Region.

During his tenure of over three years in Malaysia, Ishiyama successfully led Honda Malaysia to achieve 900,000 sales in 2019 and also maintained its position as the top non-national car brand for six consecutive years in 2020.

In addition, under Ishiyama’s watch, the company celebrated a remarkable milestone of reaching the one-millionth sales unit last month.

This achievement is particularly noteworthy as Ishiyama had to manoeuvre the company through a challenging time during the Covid-19 pandemic since March last year.

Ishiyama has headed back to Japan to assume a new role in the business automobile of the business strategy division at Honda Motor Co Ltd.