Toyota names new Europe bosses for Lexus, purchasing
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Toyota has named a new Lexus Europe boss and a new head of purchasing for the region as part of a management shuffle.
Paul van der Burgh will take charge of Lexus in Europe from his current boss, Andy Pfeiffenberger, however, he will not take over Pfeiffenberger’s title of vice president of Lexus Europe. Instead, Van der Burgh, 47, will remain Lexus Europe director, but will report to Karl Schlicht, 51, who returned to Europe from the automaker's headquarters in Japan this spring to lead Toyota and Lexus' product planning, sales, marketing and aftersales.
A Toyota spokesman said the automaker decided to eliminate the vice president of Lexus Europe post because there was no longer a need for that layer of management in the organization.
Toyota also promoted Takayuki Shirata to vice president of purchasing for Europe.
 | Adams will lead business planning. |
Shirata is currently Toyota Europe's lead coordinating executive of purchasing. He succeeds Mark Adams, a 20-year Toyota veteran who has been the company's top purchasing executive since 2008.
Adams, 49, will become vice president of strategic relationship management, corporate and business planning for Toyota Europe. Adams will take over the post from Pfeiffenberger, who has been holding that job along with leading Lexus in Europe.
 | Pfeiffenberger takes charge of human resources. |
Pfeiffenberger, 51, will become Toyota Europe's vice president of human resources and administration, taking over duties currently held by Takashi Karasawa, who will remain chief financial officer.
All the changes take effect Sept. 1.
You can reach Bruce Gain at brucegain@gmail.com.
