Toyota Motor North America has appointed Mark Templin as its next president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2027. He will succeed Ted Ogawa, who is returning to Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan as a Senior Fellow, the company announced on November 5.
Hiroshi Nambu, currently president of TMC’s Business Planning & Operation division, will replace Templin as TMNA’s chief operating officer. The leadership changes form part of a broader transition in Toyota’s North American management.
Ogawa Concludes Leadership Tenure After Nearly Seven Years
Ogawa will remain president and CEO of TMNA through December 31, 2026. He will then serve as Senior Executive Advisor from January to March 2027 before taking up his new position at TMC in April.
In his Senior Fellow role, Ogawa will oversee external affairs activities for certain Toyota-owned businesses. He has led Toyota’s North American operations since April 2020.
Toyota highlighted several major investments and manufacturing developments during Ogawa’s tenure, including the opening of Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, in 2025. The facility is the company’s first in-house battery manufacturing plant outside Japan.
The nearly $14 billion investment is expected to create up to 5,100 jobs and represents a significant part of Toyota’s electrification strategy in the United States.
Toyota has also announced plans to invest up to an additional $10 billion in its US operations over five years, bringing its cumulative investment in the country to nearly $60 billion. More recently, the company outlined a $3.6 billion expansion of its manufacturing operations in San Antonio, Texas, expected to generate approximately 2,000 jobs.
Templin to Lead Toyota’s North American Operations
As president and CEO, Templin will oversee Toyota’s North American manufacturing, research and development, sales, marketing, product support and corporate functions.
Before his appointment, Templin served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of TMNA. His promotion places him at the head of Toyota’s regional operations as the company continues investing in manufacturing capacity and electrification.
Nambu Appointed Chief Operating Officer
Nambu will take over Templin’s COO responsibilities at TMNA. In his current position at TMC, he oversees business planning functions covering sales, operations, mobility and the value chain.
He joined Toyota in 1993 and has experience working within the company’s US operations. Between 2004 and 2007, Nambu worked at Toyota Motor Sales USA, where he helped coordinate product planning and development across Toyota’s US sales, manufacturing and technical organizations.
The appointments will take effect at the beginning of 2027, placing Templin and Nambu in their new leadership roles as Toyota continues developing its North American manufacturing and business operations.