All about Kenta Kon: The man steering Toyota into its next era

Toyota Chief Executive Koji Sato ‍will step down after just three years at ⁠the helm of the world's largest automaker, the company said on Friday, and will be replaced ‌by chief ‌financial officer Kenta Kon.

What do we know ‌about Kon?

* Kon joined Toyota Motor in 1991 after graduating from Tohoku University with a degree in economics and has since ​risen through the company's accounting ​and finance ranks.


* He is a ‌board ‍member and operating officer, and ‍became chief financial officer in July 2025.

* ‌In recent years, 57-year-old Kon has taken on an expanded role within Toyota's push into wider mobility solutions and is a director at Woven by Toyota, the group's software-focused technology ‍unit.

*He is also a director at Toyota Fudosan, the group's ‍real estate unit ⁠leading ⁠the buyout of Toyota Industries that has been opposed by activist shareholders.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Kon said the group had been careful to ensure that it does not prioritize anyone unfairly in the buyout deal.