Toyota shifts North American leadership to integrate quality and supply chains
The automaker is expanding executive purviews across a sprawling regional network to align manufacturing engineering with logistics strategy.
Nao Fujita
Jul 3, 2026 · 1 min read
Toyota Motor North America has redesigned its supply chain and manufacturing leadership, consolidating oversight of quality, network strategy, and technical transformation. Effective July 13, the restructuring places Kevin Austin, Group Vice President of Supply Chain, in charge of quality, reporting directly to Chief Quality and Supply Chain Officer Chris Nielsen. The decision signals a move toward tighter integration between the procurement of parts and the integrity of the finished vehicle.
A significant portion of the realignment focuses on the intersection of engineering and logistics. Kensuke Morita will lead technical transformation and demand management, while Stephen Brennan transitions to a global role at Toyota Motor Corp. as chief production leader for advanced technology. Brennan’s remit will now cover the critical infrastructure of mobility tooling and information production engineering, bridging the gap between hardware and data.
The organizational changes extend to the factory floor across the United States and Mexico. Susann Kazunas has been appointed Group Vice President of Manufacturing Business Operations and Production Engineering, adding safety oversight to an expansive technical portfolio. These shifts coincide with a localized adjustment of leadership roles at major assembly sites in Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, and Guanajuato, as Toyota attempts to refine its operational agility within its most profitable regional market.