Isuzu PHL aims for further growth with added value, services
New president takes helm
By Joyce Reyes-Aguila
VETERAN ISUZU GROUP executive Mikio Tsukui recently took over the presidency of Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) from Tetsuya Fujita.
This was formalized in a turnover ceremony in Pasay City, attended by members of the media and content creators. In a release, IPC said that the change is a 鈥渟ignificant milestone in the company鈥檚 leadership transition.鈥 Mr. Tsukui has led the brand鈥檚 offices in Europe and China, and managed operations for Isuzu in various key global markets, such as the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.
Aside from upholding the brand鈥檚 legacy of 鈥渢rust, reliability, and performance,鈥 Mr. Tsukui is putting a premium on customer responsiveness and satisfaction. 鈥淭he most important (imperative) when you sell a product is to always satisfy your customers, take care of customers,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y job is to have more Isuzu fans in the market and (have) more customers prefer our products. As long as we take action (to achieve these), we will maintain (our number one position) for years to come.鈥
He added, 鈥淲e want to make more opportunities for customers to touch and feel the products. This is quite important for us because customers have a lot of choices. There are a lot of car brands; there are a lot of competitors. We aim to offer not just durability but a more refined driving experience that resonates with today鈥檚 customers. To achieve this, we plan to continue to expand our network and customer touchpoints, ensuring that the Isuzu brand is more accessible and more responsive, and more connected to their needs.鈥
Mr. Tsukui underscored the importance of staying competitive, especially amid the continued influx of Chinese automotive brands in the country. 鈥淲e are not familiar with the (Chinese companies). When you say (the names of brands like) Toyota, Honda, you know about the companies. We are not sure how (Chinese brands) will compete in the market. We are still not sure how they work, what is (their) mindset, what is (their) strategy. So far, we only know that they come with very aggressive pricing and very short delivery time. At this moment that is a threat. But (whether) that business (model is) sustainable or not is another issue. But we are not trying to fight them with pricing. We are trying to fight with added value and service.鈥
The new IPC president does not expect the tariffs imposed by the United States to impact Isuzu鈥檚 operations in the country. 鈥淲e bring in the parts from Japan, Indonesia and Thailand, and build the trucks here in the Philippines to provide products to the Filipino people. I think (the tariffs) do not have a direct connection (to our business),鈥 he explained.
According to the executive, the Philippines is 鈥渙ne of the very important markets鈥 for Isuzu as it 鈥渉as a lot of potential to grow.鈥 Mr. Tsukui鈥檚 priorities include sustaining the brand鈥檚 position as the leading truck brand in the Philippines, introducing more aggressive offerings in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment and continuously expanding IPC鈥檚 dealership network across the country.
鈥淏eyond maintaining our leadership in commercial vehicles, we are also committed to steering IPC toward a more innovative and progressive future. This includes strengthening our presence in the light commercial segment where we鈥檒l see great potential growth for vehicles like the Isuzu mu-X and D-Max,鈥 he said. The executive maintained that while no electrified vehicles are scheduled to be released in the country this year, IPC is 鈥減repared to take action鈥 if there is market demand.
Outgoing president Mr. Fujita has started a new role in Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan. Under his leadership, IPC promoted sustainable transportation via its 鈥淩oad to Progress鈥 campaign, accelerated the expansion and modernization of Isuzu dealerships, and introduced lifestyle activities like overlanding trips for off-road and outdoor enthusiasts.
