Toyota Motor Corp. is expected to promote director Akio Toyoda to the position of managing director at a board meeting scheduled to be held after a shareholders' meeting in late June, informed sources said Wednesday.
Toyoda, 45, is a direct descendant of the family that founded the firm and is the eldest son of Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota's honorary chairman. He will be the youngest managing director to serve Japan's largest carmaker.
The new appointment suggests that Toyoda could be a future Toyota president, industry analysts said.
Toyoda joined the company in 1984 and was involved in the launch of the Gazoo information service project. He joined the board in June 2000 and oversees Toyota's operations in China.