Kenta Kon（Toyota)

February 6, 2026 Japan News

Kenta Kon（Toyota)

Education and Career Toyota’s Incoming President Explained

On February 6, 2026, Toyota Motor Corporation announced a significant leadership transition effective April 1, 2026. Kenta Kon, who has been serving as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), will assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Meanwhile, the current president, Koji Sato, will move into the position of Vice Chairman, where he is expected to continue contributing to long-term strategy and industry-level coordination while stepping away from daily operational leadership.

This change is not a routine executive reshuffle. Rather, it reflects Toyota’s strategic response to a rapidly evolving global automotive environment—one increasingly shaped by electrification, software-defined vehicles, geopolitical risk, and historically large, long-term capital investments. The appointment of a finance-oriented executive to the top post signals a deliberate shift in how Toyota intends to manage growth, risk, and transformation over the next decade.

This article offers an expanded, chronological, and detailed overview of Kenta Kon’s education and professional career, based strictly on publicly available and official information. In addition, it examines why Toyota chose a CFO as its next president and what this decision suggests about the company’s future governance and strategic priorities.

Basic Profile

Name: Kenta Kon
Date of Birth: August 2, 1968
Age: 57 (as of 2026)
Company: Toyota Motor Corporation
Current Position: Executive Officer / Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Next Role: President & CEO (effective April 1, 2026)

Born in 1968, Kon belongs to a generation of Japanese corporate leaders expected to guide global enterprises through structural transformation rather than short-term recovery. His age positions him to lead Toyota through an extended period of technological and organizational change, including electrification, digitalization, and new mobility business models.

Educational Background

March 1991: Graduated from Tohoku University, Faculty of Economics

Tohoku University is widely regarded as one of Japan’s premier national universities, with a strong academic tradition in economics, public finance, and business administration. Students in the Faculty of Economics receive rigorous training in economic theory, quantitative analysis, and corporate finance.

Although specific details of Kon’s undergraduate research or seminar affiliations have not been disclosed publicly, his subsequent career strongly suggests that he developed a solid analytical foundation in accounting, financial management, and economic decision-making during this period. These skills would later prove essential as he advanced through Toyota’s highly demanding financial and governance roles.

Career at Toyota: Chronological Overview

Kenta Kon joined Toyota Motor Corporation immediately after graduating from university and spent more than three decades building his career inside the organization. Below is a detailed chronological timeline of his professional path, based on official executive profiles and corporate disclosures.

Career Timeline

Year / Month	Position	Context and Responsibilities
April 1991	Joined Toyota Motor Corporation	Entered Toyota as a new graduate; primarily assigned to finance and accounting-related functions
January 2017	General Manager, Accounting Division	Oversaw consolidated and non-consolidated financial reporting, management accounting, and internal controls
June 2018	Managing Officer	Entered Toyota’s executive ranks, participating directly in senior management decision-making
June 2018	Deputy Chief Officer, General Affairs & Human Resources Group	Expanded responsibilities beyond finance into organizational governance and personnel systems
June 2018	Deputy Chief Officer, Accounting Group	Continued leadership of global accounting and financial reporting operations
January 2019	Executive Vice President, Advanced Technology Development Company	Served as a key liaison between R&D divisions and corporate management
July 2019	Executive Officer	Joined Toyota’s core executive leadership team
July 2019	Chief Officer, Accounting Group	Became head of Toyota’s global accounting and finance infrastructure
January 2020	Fellow, Advanced Technology Development Company	Senior expert role focused on long-term technology and innovation strategy
April 2020	Chief Financial Officer (CFO)	Assumed full responsibility for Toyota’s financial strategy and capital management
June 2021	Director / Executive Officer	Took on formal governance responsibilities as a board member
April 2022	Director / Executive Vice President	Played a central role in overall operational and strategic management
April 2023	Director	Continued service on Toyota’s board of directors
April 2023	Representative Director & CFO, Woven by Toyota	Led financial strategy for Toyota’s software and advanced mobility subsidiary
October 2023	Director & CFO, Woven by Toyota	Continued following organizational restructuring
January 2025	Executive Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation	Title updated in line with revised executive system
April 2025	Head, Mobility 3.0 Office	Led initiatives supporting Toyota’s transition into a mobility company
July 2025	Chief Financial Officer (CFO)	Continued oversight of group-wide financial strategy
February 6, 2026	Appointment as President announced	Official public announcement of leadership succession
April 1, 2026	President & CEO (scheduled)	New leadership structure formally begins

Key Career Characteristics

1. A Finance-Based Path to the Top

Kon’s career reflects a steady and methodical rise through Toyota’s finance and accounting organizations, an area traditionally regarded as one of the company’s most demanding internal career tracks. His progression from Accounting Division General Manager to Accounting Group Chief and ultimately to CFO represents a classic yet highly selective leadership pathway.

Since becoming CFO in 2020, Kon has overseen Toyota’s financial strategy during periods marked by extreme currency volatility, supply-chain disruptions, rising raw-material costs, and aggressive investment in electrification and software. His role required balancing long-term growth investments with Toyota’s long-standing commitment to financial stability.

2. Broad Experience Beyond Finance

While finance remains his core expertise, Kon’s career also includes substantial experience in non-financial domains, including:

Human resources and general affairs
Advanced technology and R&D coordination
Software and mobility services through Woven by Toyota
Company-wide transformation initiatives under the Mobility 3.0 framework

This breadth of responsibility indicates deliberate executive development aimed at shaping a holistic corporate leader capable of integrating financial discipline with technological innovation and organizational change.

Why a CFO as President?

Toyota currently operates in a business environment characterized by multiple structural challenges:

Long-term, capital-intensive investments in EVs, batteries, and next-generation platforms
Intensifying competition from global EV manufacturers and technology companies
Increased scrutiny from global institutional investors
Heightened importance of capital efficiency, risk control, and governance transparency

In this context, appointing a CFO as president underscores Toyota’s emphasis on disciplined capital allocation, financial resilience, and long-term sustainability. Kon’s appointment suggests a leadership model that seeks to balance Toyota’s engineering heritage with rigorous financial and strategic oversight.

Conclusion: What Kind of Leader Is Kenta Kon?

Graduate of Tohoku University, Faculty of Economics (1991)
Built a career centered on finance and accounting within Toyota Motor Corporation
Served as CFO for approximately six years prior to presidential appointment
Accumulated experience across HR, advanced technology, and software-driven mobility
Scheduled to assume the role of President & CEO on April 1, 2026

Together with Chairman Akio Toyoda and Vice Chairman Koji Sato, Kenta Kon is expected to play a central role in shaping Toyota’s global strategy and corporate governance over the next decade.