Regime change at Toyota NZ

Neeraj Lala becomes the market leader’s fifth local chief executive in 50 years.

Alistair Davis, left, and Neeraj Lala.

MARKET-dominant Toyota New Zealand and its prestige Lexus affiliate has a new boss. 

Neeraj Lala, at present the Palmerston North-centred brand’s chief operating officer at present, will start work on July 1 in the next step role, as chief executive officer.

In doing so he replaces Alistair Davis, who held the job for 12 years – assuming responsibility from another New Zealander, Bob Field.

Though ostensibly heading into retirement, Davis will follow the same path taken by his own predecessor by retaining a corporate connection, as non-executive chair of the board reporting to Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan. 

A Wellington-born married man and father of three, Lala has expressed excitement to take the helm as Toyota transitions from being a traditional car maker into a mobility company focused on future technologies.
 
“It has been a privilege to serve under Alistair’s leadership … and I appreciate his encouragement of my career development at Toyota. Alistair’s focus on people, culture and sustainability is well-embedded in the company and in the leadership team.
 
“I intend to carry on with that core focus, while advocating for an even better use of data and digital assets to get closer to our customers, particularly in these challenging and competitive times,” he says.
 
Mr Davis has called his successor a qualified leader who thrives on challenges and has the energy and vision to inspire and lead the company forward into a changed world.
 
“In Neeraj, Toyota has a well-prepared leader to take the company forward in the post-Covid 19 economy. He is an advocate for new ideas when it comes to how automakers market and sell their products in the 21st century,” he says.
 
Lala is known for being particularly passionate about performance machines - he drives a 2020 Toyota GR Supra - and technology. These interests mirror those of TMC President Akio Toyoda, who has even raced cars under a pseudonym.
 
Lala joined Toyota New Zealand in 1988 as an internet development co-ordinator and has since ascended via almost all areas of the Toyota business including marketing, new vehicles, product planning and used vehicles.

In 2014, he added to the Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University held when he began employment by completing an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA), finishing top in his class with distinction.

Between the end of 2014 to 2018 he undertook an executive leadership programme with Toyota Motor Sales in the United States, basing in California.

Since then he has been instrumental in driving transformational change at Toyota.

Mr Davis declined opportunity to be interviewed about his own period of tenure, citing preference for media attention to go to his replacement.