Mazda Motor Europe (MME) has announced the appointment of 53-year-old Kota Matsue as the new vice president of its European Research and Development Center in Oberursel, Germany. Matsue will succeed Hajime Seikaku, who has held the position since October 2018.
During his 29 years with Mazda, Kota Matsue has worked within the OEM’s engine design and powertrain development division in Japan, as well as a four-year stint at Mazda North American Operations (MNAO), where he was responsible for bringing diesel engines to the market. Prior to joining Mazda in 1992, Matsue studied mechanical engineering at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, and obtained a master’s degree.
“As the automotive industry in Europe transitions toward climate neutrality, we are committed to our multi-solution approach, combining different technologies to reduce emissions effectively,” commented Yasuhiro Aoyama, president and CEO at MME. “Developing highly efficient engine technology has always been a strength of Mazda and we are very happy that Kota Matsue will bring his experience to lead our powertrain development team in Europe.”
Following the new appointment, Hajime Seikaku will take over the role of deputy general manager of the vehicle development division at Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.