(3 minutes read)
- Toyota SA chairman and former CEO Dr Johan van Zyl (63) passed away due to Covid-19 complications recently (Friday) at a Pretoria hospital
- Van Zyl remained chairperson of Toyota SA until his death and played a major role in the company becoming one of the largest vehicle manufacturers on the African continent
- He had an uncanny sense of knowing just what consumers want and he was able to instill this thinking in all his colleagues
Toyota SA chairman and former CEO Dr Johan van Zyl (63) passed away due to Covid-19 complications recently (Friday) at a Pretoria hospital, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).
His illustrious automotive industry career dated back more than 28 years. He was first appointed director for vehicle sales and dealer network at Toyota Motors SA back in 1993. Later in 2002, Van Zyl was appointed president and COO to become CEO of the group in 2003. In 2013 Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) appointed him as its Africa Region CEO in April 2013. In 2015, he took on the role of president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe (TME) until his retirement earlier this year.
Van Zyl remained chairperson of Toyota SA until his death and played a major role in the company becoming one of the largest vehicle manufacturers on the African continent. Toyota has an expansive plant in Prospection, Durban. He also played an important role in the growth of the local automotive industry and served as Naamsa president for two terms. He led the automotive industry with distinction as Naamsa president during the highs of the industry when domestic new vehicle sales, vehicle exports and vehicle production records were achieved sometime in 2006-07.
He was also at the helm and a towering architect of t a few organizations and movements connected with automobiles. He had an uncanny sense of knowing just what consumers want and he was able to instill this thinking in all his colleagues
