Subaru Says They Now Have A New CEO - There Will Be Sweeping Changes Ahead

In a new press release today, Subaru Corporation says they have a new President and CEO. Here are the details and how the significant changes will affect customers.

The current President and CEO of Subaru Corporation, Tomomi Nakamura, is stepping down and making way for a new Boss of the Japanese automaker. Subaru Corporation announced today they would make the change in June 2023. As a result, there will be sweeping changes coming soon.

Subaru's new President and CEO will be Atsushi Osaki, who currently holds the position of Director and Executive Vice President and Chief General Manager of the Manufacturing Division.

Subaru President and CEO Atsushi Osaki

There's a new sheriff in town.

In the announcement, Subaru says the board of directors decided to replace Tomomi Nakamura because this year concludes the 5-year implementation period of Subaru's mid-term management vision "STEP," formulated in 2018. And because of the current automotive climate, it's time for significant changes for the Japanese automaker.

Subaru says the board's decision was made to shift to a new management structure to accelerate the Company's efforts to address the automotive industry's profound transformation. As they advance, Subaru Corporation "will formulate a new management vision and will strive to achieve it under its new management team," says Subaru.

Subaru President and CEO Atsushi Osaki

What will the change mean for Subaru customers?

Automotive News reports that speaking at a Friday press conference Osaki said, “We at Subaru want to survive the age of electrification by being nimble. We will put various systems in place while focusing on flexibility and expansion.” The U.S., which constitutes Subaru’s biggest market by far, still holds lots of potential, he said. “I believe we can still grow our sales in the U.S.,” the new CEO said.

We assume more support was needed within the current management structure regarding how fast the automaker should move to an all-electric model lineup. However, due to the new Subaru Corporation, President and CEO Atsushi Osaki will likely accelerate the plan to move Subaru to new eco-performance all-wheel-drive models.

The accelerated plan will include moving the current lineup of its top-selling Crosstrek subcompact SUV, Outback midsize SUV, and Forester compact SUV models to hybrid and all-electric powertrains sooner than was previously planned. In addition, more all-new battery-electric vehicles (BEV) models will also be produced in the next five years than previously announced.

Subaru customers may also see an accelerated plan with its performance division STI (Subaru Tecnica International) and bring a new hybrid or all-electric Subaru WRX STI sooner than expected.

It's good news for Subaru customers as the Japanese automaker looks to accelerate plans to offer new eco-performance models with the brand's core values of fun-to-drive, outdoor-themed, performance-oriented all-wheel-drive vehicles. There is a new sheriff in town. Stay tuned.

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Subaru sales Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.