On May 16, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) officially introduced its new president, Noboru Murakami, who will replace Hajime Koso, its president for seven years.
“It’s been an honor working for Isuzu Philippines for the past seven years. I truly admire the dedication and resilience of the Filipino people, especially our team members in IPC. The last two years have been the most challenging, but we emerged to be stronger with the support of everyone in IPC including our business partners, for which I am truly grateful,” said outgoing president Hajime Koso.
Murakami, former general manager from Isuzu Motors Limited (IML), will hold office starting May 17 and will oversee IPC’s operation as well as the development of its dealer network nationwide.
He joined IML in 1995, mainly handling international sales. From 2003 to 2011, Murakami worked under IML Corporate Planning before being assigned to Isuzu North America Corporation (INAC) as Vice President in 2014. In 2016, he was promoted to executive vice president of INAC then president & CEO from the years 2018 to 2020 before moving back to Japan to serve as IML general manager for International Sales.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the market dynamics of the ASEAN region. The Philippines has become one of the most emerging markets when it comes to automotive, seen in the numerous models being introduced year after year, so it really makes me excited to start working in this country,” said Murakami.
With his long and extensive career both in sales and management, Murakami promises to continue IPC’s long reign as the number one truck brand in the country. “Being on top puts more challenge on us, we cannot be complacent with what we currently offer. As always, our key is to listen to our customers, if there is anything to improve it has to be aligned with our customer’s needs and business requirements. Satisfying these needs at every touchpoint, whether for sales or aftersales will pave our way towards achieving ultimate ‘customer success’,” said Murakami.
Aside from maintaining its position in the truck market, IPC also announced that in celebration of its 25th inaugural anniversary this year, the company is working towards a more sustainable path. “As the number one truck brand, we have an even bigger responsibility to society. For IPC, sustainability is no longer a choice but rather our way forward. We understand that as a social obligation, our company must put priority into protecting the environment without compromising customer success if we want to continue doing business in the future,” said Murakami.
“This movement should not only be reflected in our products but also from within, meaning changes in our values, operations, and the way we do business moving forward. This is something that we want to instill to our team members and dealer network starting this year, a shift in mindset and priority towards a ‘Greener’ era for IPC,” he added.
According to IPC, this new direction forms part of their corporate goal to build an ‘Isuzu Kingdom’ in the future, wherein they are providing the best business solutions coupled with excellent aftersales service as well as contributing to the welfare of the society and the environment.