Toyota Motor Europe has today announced the appointment of Paul Van der Burgh as president and managing director of Toyota GB, effective from July 1.
He replaces Matt Harrison, who becomes vice president, Toyota Sales and Marketing, Toyota Motor Europe, effective from the same date.
Van der Burgh (pictured) is currently director, Consumer One at Toyota Motor Europe, and has been leading the change and modernisation of Toyota’s ‘customer first’ approach in Europe.
Prior to joining Toyota Van der Burgh held senior roles at Ford of Britain including sales director and marketing director.
In this new role, Harrison will report to Karl Schlicht, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Europe.
Harrison returns to Toyota Europe after four years in the UK, initially as commercial director and for the past two years as president and managing director. In that time Harrison has overseen a period of continued volume growth and business improvement in the Toyota and Lexus operations in the UK.
Jeremy has been a journalist for 30 years, 20 of which have been in business-to-business automotive. He was a writer and news editor on AM-sister brand Fleet News for three years before setting up the AM website. For the last five years he has been Bauer B2B’s head of digital helping to manage the digital assets of AM, together with Fleet News, Commercial Fleet, Rail and Smart Transport.
Robert Codrington - 27/02/2017 21:42
I am interested in buying a Lexus IS and I have visited my 2 local dealerships. Both seem unable to provide an IS 200t demonstrator. I know you don’t sell many petrol engined ones but it seems crazy that I am unable to try or even see one. Is there anything that Lexus UK can do about the situation? Here I am with money burning a hole in my pocket and you seem unwilling to help me part with it – other than driving me in frustration to one of your competitors. I look forward to hearing something positive from you. Jim Codrington