Kiyofuji appointed Geely PH chief

MANILA: Yugo Kiyofuji has been named as the new president and chief executive officer of Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP), which oversees the Geely brand here.

Kiyofuji replaced Yosuke Nishi, who established the Geely business in the Philippines in 2019. SGAP capped off 2021 with total sales of 6,104 units, an increase of 183% over 2020 when only three models were available. Moreover, in March 2022, SGAP achieved its 10,000th accumulated sales milestone in just two years and eight months, making it one of the fastest in the industry to do so.

Kiyofuji has over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, having worked for different OEM and automotive-related organizations in the Middle East, Latin America, and Australia.

Meanwhile, Kazuki Sugino took over as Chief Administrative Officer with a goal to improve the overall quality of operations at SGAP. Sugino spent five years as an executive at Sojitz headquarters and several enterprises in the Philippines, including other car distributors. This time, the management changes highlight the strategic relevance of SGAP within the Sojitz group of firms.

In a statement, Kiyofuji said, “I am very grateful for the customers and business partners who accepted and supported the Geely brand up to now that enabled us to become top 10 automotive brand within a short period of time. Our role is to take SGAP to the next level and become one of the top passenger vehicle brands by 2025, strengthening our dealer network as well as exceeding the customer expectation. I am very much excited to take on the challenges ahead and am committed to leave no stones unturned to achieve our midterm goal.”

Kiyofuji was formally introduced by SGAP during a turnover ceremony yesterday, April 4. With the new leadership, SGAP is optimistic that it will maintain its rapid sales growth while also improving the quality of service it provides to its valued customers.

Photos from Sojitz G Auto Philippines

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