Mazda North American Operations CEO Jim O’Sullivan on Monday announced that he will retire at the end of the year and will be replaced by Mazda global sales chief Masahiro Moro. O’Sullivan has led Mazda for more than a decade, out from under Ford ownership and into a small, independent — but growing — U.S. automaker.
O’Sullivan took over in 2003 and helped guide the company during its split from Ford five years later. He also led Mazda through the recession and helped raise money for its facility in Mexico, which opened last year.
Moro is a longtime Mazda employee who first joined the automaker in 1983, according to the company. Most recently, Moro was responsible for global sales and marketing and has been vice president for marketing in Europe. Moro also served as director for Mazda in Australia between 2012 and 2013.
O’Sullivan had been the longest-serving senior executive for any carmaker in the U.S. before he announced his retirement, according to the automaker.
Under O’Sullivan’s tutelage, Mazda in the U.S. broke 300,000 vehicle sales in 2014 — its best year since 2002. The automaker is expected to surpass that number again for 2015.
Moro will take over for O’Sullivan beginning Jan. 1, according to Mazda.
What’s Moro’s position on manual transmissions, and station wagons?
If Mazda made a top-end/GT 6 with a manual transmission, I would own one of these plus my CX-5. I just wasn’t interested in a Touring model with a manual (because the look and feel of the Touring is not as nice as the higher-end GT). I hope he is not adverse to offering manual transmissions on the higher level trims in the USA. A wagon also would be nice.
…i’d seriously consider a ‘speed 6 wagon to replace my 2…
Maybe this guy can figure out how Mazda keeps putting together really nice cars, yet keeps having a tough time selling them in the US.
(And, while he’s at it, get us the 6 Wagon! :-)
I’m just now waiting for delivery of my new Mazda6 GT with Tech Package, trading in my 2011 RX8. And I did so because, looking at the market, there really is no better sedan in this class. It’s not cheap, but it’s beautiful and future-proof.
I had been holding out for a Diesel variant but clearly *that* isn’t going to happen now, so.. :)
Memo to Moro-san: the 6 could use the new turbo four from the CX-9.
Miata hatch will eat Hachi-roku’s lunch.
I bought a 2016 Mazda6 i Touring in October and it’s truly an amazing car. I have high hopes for Mazda now and in the future.