India Yamaha Motor Appoints Hajime Aota as the New Chairman
India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt. Ltd. confirmed the selection of Hajime Aota as the new Chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group starting on 1st January 2026. Aota comes with significant expertise in corporate strategy, corporate planning, and new venture business development in the automotive industry.
He has occupied multiple senior leadership positions in major global markets, such as Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Before his role in India, Aota was the Executive Officer at Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., and the Chief General Manager of the Corporate Strategy Center (CSO) at the global headquarters in Japan, where he spearheaded corporate strategy, sustainability efforts, and digital strategy, emphasizing the advancement of digital transformation.
He has also held the position of Chairperson at Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), Yamaha Motor’s strategic venture capital division, managing initial investments in sectors like robotics, transportation, fintech, insurtech, digital health, and data-centric technologies.
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Furthermore, Aota has been crucial in directing new business development and corporate planning activities, making a substantial impact on the long-term growth strategy of the worldwide Yamaha Motor Group. He played a key role in formulating Yamaha Motor’s long-term vision for 2030, “Art for Human Possibilities,” and actively supports its effective implementation.
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Aota possesses a Program for Leadership Development (PLD) from Harvard Business School and has a degree in Political Science from Keio University, Japan.
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Hajime Aota, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of Companies, said, “I am very excited to begin my journey in India, one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse two-wheeler markets. The rapidly evolving aspirations of Indian consumers, especially the youth, align strongly with Yamaha’s focus on premium products, innovation, and a customer-centric approach. Leading Yamaha in India is a significant responsibility, and my focus is on strengthening the brand by delivering products that seamlessly combine Yamaha’s global engineering excellence with the evolving needs of Indian riders. I look forward to working closely with our teams and partners to drive sustainable growth and reinforce Yamaha’s presence in this important market.”