Toyota Pioneer Hiroshi Okuda Dies at 93

Former Toyota chief Hiroshi Okuda, who helped transform the Japanese carmaker into a global leader, has died aged 93.

Toyota confirmed Okuda’s death on Wednesday but did not immediately provide further details about his passing.

Okuda remains closely linked to the development of the Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle using both petrol and electricity. He backed the technology at a time when many industry observers doubted whether hybrid and electric vehicles could succeed commercially.

He became Toyota’s president in 1995, taking charge while the company faced major challenges. Okuda also became the first leader from outside Toyota’s founding family to head the company in several decades.

Before his arrival, Toyota had gained a reputation for being cautious and slow to change. Okuda pushed the company towards a more ambitious approach, overseeing the launch of models including the RAV4 SUV and Prius.

The Prius later became one of the world’s best-known hybrid cars. Hybrid vehicles have since gained widespread popularity, particularly among motorists seeking alternatives to fully electric vehicles and coping with higher petrol costs.

Okuda also encouraged Toyota’s rapid international expansion, with the company opening factories in several countries. The strategy helped Toyota eventually overtake General Motors as the world’s largest carmaker by sales volume.

Beyond Toyota, Okuda held several influential positions in Japan. He was a black belt in karate, advised the Japanese government and served as chairman of Keidanren, the country’s leading business organisation.

His willingness to take risks emerged early in his career. While managing Toyota’s Philippine operations in the early 1970s, he reportedly travelled through dense jungle to meet leftist guerrilla fighters directly.

Reflecting on his leadership style in a 1998 interview with The New York Times, Okuda said: “Everyone is different. But what I can say about Toyota is that before I became president, the company was considered to be very conservative, so I have tried to make us more aggressive.”

That approach helped reshape Toyota’s global strategy and encouraged the company to invest in technologies that later became central to the changing automotive industry.

How much of Toyota’s global success today can be traced back to Okuda’s bold approach to innovation?