Kenta Kon in Tokyo on Feb. 6. (Soichiro Koriyama/Bloomberg)
February 6, 2026 8:29 AM, EST
Toyota Motor Corp.’s incoming CEO isn’t just the company’s head of finance. He was the chairman’s personal secretary for almost a decade.
Kenta Kon, 57, on Feb. 6 was unexpectedly announced as the next CEO of Japan’s largest manufacturer, to replace Koji Sato, who will become vice chairman in April after three years in the role.
In doing so, Akio Toyoda, the 69-year-old grandson of the automotive giant’s founder, is installing a trusted lieutenant to head the company at a time the scion is spearheading the proposed buyout of a Toyota group unit in a deal opposed by activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Kon is also currently a director at Toyota Fudosan Co., which is leading the buyout.
Kon, who joined Toyota 35 years ago fresh out of Tohoku University with a bachelor’s degree in economics, became Toyoda’s personal secretary in 2008, serving him for about eight years. He then moved through the ranks, particularly in the accounting department, where he became its head in 2019.
That expertise is the reason for his appointment, with Toyota noting the need to focus on profitability as it faces intensifying competition with rivals as well as ongoing pressure from U.S. import tariffs.
“I’m aware that the break-even point for unit sales has been growing slightly over the last year or two,” Kon told reporters at a briefing. “There are external factors, of course, but its important that we can stand firm even when times are tough.”
In 2020, Kon replaced Koji Kobayashi as CFO as the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the global economy and sent car sales tumbling as people worldwide stayed in their homes. Two years later, he was one of three lieutenants promoted to newly created executive vice president roles, sparking speculation that he may eventually take on the top job. The other two executives have since moved on.
As CFO, Kon oversaw the finances of the company, including in the fiscal year ended March 2024, when Toyota reported record annual earnings despite the rise of electric vehicle makers such as Tesla Inc. and BYD Co.
His recent work at Woven, a unit designed to incubate next-generation cars and mobility technologies, also hints at Toyota’s desire to close the gap with industry leaders. “We have much to learn from Tesla and other industry leaders when it comes to autonomous driving technology,” Kon said.
