Matt Harrison has been named the new managing director of Toyota GB as Jon Williams leaves the manufacturer.
Harrison is promoted to the MD and president role, effective from September 2, after more than two years as the company's commercial director.
Williams is leaving after three years at the helm to head overseas with an independent Toyota distributor, said Toyota GB.
Harrison said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role at such an exciting time for both the Toyota & Lexus brands. We have a strategy to continue to grow both brands in the UK and I look forward to leading the team in the implementation of those plans.”
Harrison joined Toyota GB in 2000 as general manager of vehicle marketing, progressing to the post of marketing director in 2003, and subsequently Toyota Motor Europe's general manager for corporate planning, general manager of sales planning Department in 2006, and director of Lexus Europe from 2008 to 2011 before his return to Toyota GB.
His previous motor industry experience includes 10 years with Ford Motor Company, working in various sales and marketing roles in its UK, European and global operations.
An award-winning journalist and editor, with two decades of experience covering the motor retail industry, and accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) plus the National Council for the Training of Journalist (NCTJ)
As editor of AM since 2016, Tim is responsible for its media content, planning and production across AM's multiple channels, including the website, digital reports, webinars, social media and the editorial content of AM's events, Automotive Management Live and the AM Awards. His focus is on interviewing senior leaders of franchised dealer groups and motor manufacturer national sales companies to examine latest developments in UK motor retail.
MR MARTIN J BREHENY - 20/11/2013 12:42
WHAT IS TOYOTA UK INTENDING TO DO NEXT WITH THE UK PROBLEM OF TOYOTA PRIUS CARS THAT SUFFER FROM "SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" (S.U.A.)? I HAVE SUCH A CAR, IT IS UNSALEABLE AND TOYOTA UK, HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER 10 YEARS. I HAVE THE PAPERS CONFIRMING THIS. THE CAR WENT INTO (S.U.A.) MODE SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. I HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH "JON WILLIAMS" OFFICE FOR OVER 3 YEARS, THEY HAVE STATED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE PRIUS FROM. AND I QUOTE "OUR RELATIONSHIP HAS BROKEN DOWN". I CALLED THEM LIARS ONCE I RECEIVED THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSURES FROM THE US, IT PROVES A MASSIVE GLOBAL PROBLEM STILL EXISTS WITH THIS CAR. AS A MATTER OF TRUST AND INTEGRITY, THIS CAR IS UNSALEABLE TO AN UNSUSPECTING BUYER, I HAVE OFFERED THIS CAR BACK TO TOYOTA UK, FREE. THE ONLY CRITERIA I SET TO THIS FREE RETURN WAS THAT IT WAS DELIVERED VIA THE MEDIA, WHY SHOULD TOYOTA BE ALLOWED TO KEEP SUCH A PROBLEM QUIET. "MY OFFER WAS REFUSED" BY JON WILLIAMS OFFICE. I ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A LEXUS 460SE, WHEN I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA, THEY SAID IT WAS AN ANOMALY, I BELIEVED THEM. I AM NO VEXATIOUS COMPLAINANT, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPENT OVER £145,000.00 ON TOYOTA AND LEXUS CARS OVER A PERIOD OF 1O YEARS, THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT LOYALTY, THEY DUMP A FAULTY CAR ON YOU AND TAKE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, I HAVE ALL THE RECENT COURT PAPERS FROM CLAIMS IN THE US. I ALSO HAVE EXTENSIVE INFORMATION REGARDING THE TRUE OWNER OF THE ORIGINAL HYBRID SYSTEM. A RUSSIAN SCIENTIST NAMED ALEX SEVERINSKI, HAS WON 2 LITIGATIONS IN THE US AGAINST TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, JAPAN. THE DAMAGES WERE NEARLY $10M DOLLARS, THE PAPERS I HAVE TO HAND CONFIRM THAT EVERY TOYOTA AND LEXUS HYBRID VEHICLE PAY A ROYALTY TO MR SEVERINSKI OF OVER $90 DOLLARS. THESE ARE FACTS. TOYOTA HAVE OFFERED OVER $1.2 BILLION DOLLARS AS SETTLEMENT IN THE US FOR THE S.U.A. PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO OTHER EXTENSIVE COURT CASES ON-GOING OVER DAMAGES / INJURIES CAUSED BY S.U.A. EVENTS. IT DOES NOT TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO REALISE THAT JUST BECAUSE THE SAME CAR MADE IN THE SAME PLACE IS DELIVERED TO THE UK, IT IS IMMUNE TO THE PROBLEM OF S.U.A. I HAVE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, TOYOTA HAVE IGNORED THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ON-GOING PROBLEM AS WELL. I WOULD APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTS OF DECENT AND HONEST PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.