GM adds Thai role to Vietnam MD

• Jun 15, 2017

With an executive leadership transition in Thailand, US carmaker General Motors says its business strategy remains on course,  focusing only on pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the Thai market.
Yesterday, GM International announced the appointment of Sumito Ishii, managing director of GM Vietnam, as interim managing director of GM Thailand and Chevrolet Sales Thailand, effective June 13.
Mr Ishii is the first Japanese executive for the Thai unit, replacing Egyptian Wail Farghaly, who has left the company to pursue other opportunities.
Mr Ishii is still GM Vietnam’s managing director. Laurent Berthet, GM International’s director for brand and products communications said the company has high momentum for the Colorado pickup truck and the Trailblazer SUV, both made in Thailand, in the Southeast Asia region.
“In Mr Ishii’s dual role, he will ensure the continuity of our business in Thailand,” said Mr Berthet.
Mr Ishii joined GM in 1996 from Toyota Motor Corporation, where he had served in dealer support and new vehicle launch readiness. From 1998 to 2003, Mr Ishii was assigned to new product development programmes at GM North America. During this period, he also worked on strategic partnership projects with other automotive manufacturers.
When he returned to Japan in 2003, Mr Ishii held various senior positions at GM Japan, including the position of managing director. He has been in Vietnam since August 2016.
GM entered the Thai market in January 2000 and later established two manufacturing facilities at Rayong’s Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate — the vehicle assembly plant with annual production capacity of 180,000 units and the powertrain plant with annual capacity of 120,000 units.
GM sold 14,931 vehicles in 2016, down by 14.5% from 17,456 in 2015.

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1268699/gm-adds-thai-role-to-vietnam-md