Subaru Canada welcomes new president


Shiro Ohta has been named the new chairman, president, and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI) as the company replaces Katsuhiro Yokoyama, who has held the top position at SCI since 2005.


Subaru says Ohta is a familiar face at SCI, having worked at the Canadian head office as executive co-ordinator field operations and assistant to the CEO from 1995-1998.

His most recent position was general manager of FHI's North American sales and marketing department. His extensive sales and marketing experience also includes managing FHI sales/marketing divisions in Africa and the Middle East, Australia and Europe.

He has also spent time at the dealership level, gaining important insight into the front-line sales experience. 

The move comes just months after current head of Canadian operations, Yokoyama, lead the company to record sales and market share in 2009.

There was no indication where Yokoyama may be headed.

As for Ohta, he says his immediate goal is to improve on last year’s numbers and target a
“two percent market share.”

“Canada's car market is one and a half times that of Australia, but in terms of sales numbers, Australia sells close to 40,000 units. They have a market share of almost four percent – so we know it can be done. We have not reached our full potential in the Canadian market yet.”