Yamaha 2013 Annual Report Download - page 36

Comments from an Outside Director
Executive Officers
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Hiroyuki Yanagi
Chief General Manager of Motorcycle Business
Operations
Executive Vice President
Takaaki Kimura
Chief General Manager of Technology Center,
Chief General Manager of Design Center, and
Chief General Manager of Marine Business Operations
Executive Officer
Masato Adachi
Executive General Manager of Boat Business
Unit, Marine Business Operations
Executive Officer
Yoshitaka Noda
Chief General Manager of Component Control
Division, Engine Unit
Executive Officer
Yoshihiro Hidaka
Executive General Manager of 3rd Business
Unit, Motorcycle Business Operations
Executive Officer
Tatsumi Ohkawa
Executive General Manager of ME
Business Unit, Marine Business
Operations
Executive Officer
Masahiro Inoue
Chief General Manager of
Procurement Center
Executive Officer
Tsuneji Suzuki
President and Representative Director of
Yamaha Motor Powered Products Co., Ltd.
Executive Officer
Masaki Asano
Managing Director of Yamaha Motor India
Sales Pvt. Ltd.
Executive Officer
Makoto Shimamoto
Chief General Manager of PF Model Unit
Development Control Division, PF Model Unit
Executive Officer
Hiroaki Fujita
Deputy Chief General Manager of Business
Development Operations, Executive General
Manager of IM Business Unit, Business
Development Operations, General Manager of
Quality Assurance Division, IM Business Unit,
Business Development Operations
Executive Officer
Masaru Ono
General Director of Yamaha Motor
Vietnam Co., Ltd.
Executive Officer
Katsuhito Yamaji
Chief General Manager of Manufacturing
Center
Executive Officer
Kazuhiro Kuwata
President of Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.
Managing Executive Officer
Nobuya Hideshima
Chief General Manager of Engine Unit,
Chief General Manager of CS Center
Managing Executive Officer
Kozo Shinozaki
Chief General Manager of Corporate Planning
& Finance Center
Managing Executive Officer
Masahiro Takizawa
Chief General Manager of Business
Development Operations
Senior Executive Officer
Hiroyuki Suzuki
Managing Director of India Yamaha Motor
Pvt. Ltd.
Senior Executive Officer
Yoshiaki Hashimoto
Chief General Manager of Human
Resources & General Affairs Center
Senior Executive Officer
Kunihiko Miwa
Executive General Manager of 2nd Business
Unit, Motorcycle Business Operations
Senior Executive Officer
Ryouichi Sumioka
Deputy Chief General Manager of Corporate
Planning & Finance Center
Senior Executive Officer
Hajime Yamaji
Chairman and Director of Yamaha Motor
Europe N. V.
Senior Executive Officer
Katsuaki Watanabe
Executive General Manager of 1st Business Unit,
Motorcycle Business Operations and Chief
General Manager of PF Model Unit
Senior Executive Officer
Toshizumi Kato
President of Yamaha Motor
Corporation, U.S.A.
Senior Executive Officer
Yoichiro Kojima
President of PT. Yamaha Indonesia
Motor Manufacturing and President of
PT. Yamaha Motor Manufacturing
West Java
Directors, Audit & Supervisory Board Members, and Executive Officers
CS: Customer Service
PF: Platform
IM: Intelligent Machinery
ME: Marine Engine
Tamotsu Adachi
Outside Director
During my year as an Outside Director of Yamaha Motor,
I have been impressed by two things that are particularly
unique and truly progressive. The first is the way Yamaha
Motor uses its corporate value to provide people around the
world with the pleasure and enjoyment of dreams. Yamaha
Motor has been a world leader in developing many new
ways of bringing enjoyment to customers. The second thing
is the fact that Yamaha Motor was one of the first Japanese
companies to set its sights on customers around the world
and to become a global company. Even though there is
still room for improvement, Yamaha Motor is undeniably a
leading Japanese company in terms of its experience and
ability to produce and sell products globally. This ability is
underpinned by extremely high levels of technical capabilities
and product quality.
These outstanding qualities notwithstanding, I have
concerns about the fact that these activities have not
translated to earnings at a global standard. In particular,
profit margins in the main motorcycle business are
significantly lower than at our competitors, and this must
be improved if Yamaha Motor is to continue its outstanding
business activities.
I believe there are two reasons for this situation.
The first is costs. It seems to me that in its drive to create
interesting, quality products, the Company has lagged
behind other manufacturers in creating efficient design and
production processes. The other reason I see is that the
Company has not been able to achieve an even higher level
of global operations. I believe that further strengthening
overseas structures across the board, from planning and
development to sales, and only producing products that are
suited to each market, would reduce costs and also increase
the likelihood of creating hit products.
The main problem is how to resolve such issues
quickly. Leaders need to make decisions that are required for
the Company’s continued success, even if they involve some
pain along the way, and employees need to think seriously
about the Company’s ultimate reason for existing. It is fine to
enjoy making various products, but enjoyment alone will not
enable the Company to survive its competition.
Maintaining Yamaha Motor’s unique qualities means
remaining enthusiastic about creating quality products that
give people joy and excitement, while also understanding the
importance of maintaining solid profitability. I am confident
that Yamaha Motor will be an even more outstanding
company if everyone from senior management to factory
employees pays more attention to this balance.
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