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CAROLYN McMahon has been appointed to president of Honda New Zealand, becoming the first woman to lead the Japanese car-maker’s operations across the ditch.

Honda has also appointed Jay Joseph as CEO and director of Honda Australia, succeeding Yoshitaka Okamoto who has taken a senior motorsport management position with Honda in Japan.

Carolyn McMahon

Ms McMahon is currently the vice president and director of Honda Australia. Mr Joseph was previously vice president of American Honda.

Honda said that Mr Joseph, who has been with Honda for 27 years, brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the brand, making him well-equipped to guide Honda Australia through its next phase of growth and innovation.

Mr Joseph said he was “thrilled to step into the role of CEO and director at Honda Australia during this pivotal time for the company”.

“Carolyn has left an incredible legacy of innovation, collaboration, and customer focus, and I’m committed to maintaining that momentum as we evolve our operations and deliver outstanding value to our customers across Australia.”

With almost three decades of experience at Honda Australia, Ms McMahon has held several leadership roles, including vice president and director.

Honda said that in this time, Ms McMahon had been instrumental in driving Honda’s industry first-business transformation and the successful unification of Honda Australia (Cars) and Honda Australia MPE (Motorcycle, Power Equipment and Marine).

The company said that Ms McMahon “leaves a legacy of establishing a more sustainable, customer-centric business model and this experience makes her ideally suited to lead Honda New Zealand as its new president”.

Jay Joseph

Ms McMahon said she was “honoured to take on this new role with Honda New Zealand”.

“It’s an exciting time for the automotive industry, and I look forward to working with the talented team in NZ to continue delivering exceptional experiences for our customers and further strengthening Honda’s presence in the market.”

Honda New Zealand’s current managing director, Nobu Sonoda, will transition to director of business services and new business program for Honda Australia, supporting the company’s electrification strategy.

Honda said that as the company continues its business transformation, these leadership changes underscore the company’s dedication to putting the customer at the centre of everything it does.

“These leadership changes come at a pivotal time for Honda, as the company continues its transformation with a focus on strengthening operations and enriching customer experience,” it said.

“With Ms McMahon and Mr Joseph leading the Australian and New Zealand markets, Honda is well-positioned for continued growth and innovation across the region.”

By Neil Dowling

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