While Mr Davis will maintain a connection with the company as a non-executive chairperson on Toyota NZ’s board of directors, Mr Lala has stepped up from his previous role as chief operating officer to become only the fifth local CEO since the Japanese auto giant was established in New Zealand 50 years ago.
Born and bred in Wellington, Mr Lala was an obvious candidate for the role, bringing more than two decades’ experience at Toyota since signing on as an internet development co-ordinator in 1998 after graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University.
He has subsequently worked across a broad range of business areas including IT, marketing, product planning and new and used vehicle sales, and spent three years in an executive leadership program with Toyota Motor Sales in the United States.
The company said that upon his return from Los Angeles in 2018, Mr Lala has “been instrumental in driving transformational change at Toyota” which is the top-selling brand in the New Zealand market, just as it is in Australia.
Neeraj Lala
It also said that the wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation “prefers to promote from within and maintain stability through long-tenure chief executives”.
In a statement, Mr Lala, who is a long-time sportscar enthusiast and also holds an Executive MBA from Massey University, said he was excited to take the helm at a time when Toyota was transitioning from a traditional auto-maker to a mobility company focused on future technologies.
“It has been a privilege to serve under Alistair’s leadership over the past decade and I appreciate his encouragement of my career development at Toyota,” he said.
“Alistair’s focus on people, culture and sustainability is well-embedded in the company and in the leadership team.
“I intend to carry on with that core focus, while advocating for an even better use of data and digital assets to get closer to our customers, particularly in these challenging and competitive times.”
Mr Davis said Mr Lala was well-qualified for the position and described him as a person “who thrives on challenges and has the energy and vision to inspire and lead the company forward into a changed world”.
Alistair Davis
“In Neeraj, Toyota has a well-prepared leader to take the company forward in the post COVID-19 economy. He is an advocate for new ideas when it comes to how auto-makers market and sell their products in the 21st century,” he said.
Fronting a corporate video as part of the marketing activity around his ascension to the top job, Mr Lala said: “The most exciting thing about the car industry at the moment is we’re at a real crossroads – which way is the powertrain going to go … are we going to go hydrogen, are we going to go battery, are we going to go more hybrid-electrics, where is diesel heading, what’s the future of traditional gas?
“Cars and mobility is one part; access and ownership is another. Our industry is going to change completely. Previously, you may buy one car and own it for three years; now people want some flexibility, and I think we’re in a really strong place to be able to deliver that for our customers.
“So it’s a really exciting time to lead this company into the future with exciting new product, exciting new technology and exciting new mobility solutions for our customers.
“I’m really proud of where we’ve come from, but the future is looking really strong.”
By Terry Martin
