The longest-serving president of Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC), Hajime Koso (right), is joined in a ceremonial toast by his successor, incoming IPC president Noboru Murakami (center) and Isuzu Gencars Corp. chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, who represented the IPC dealers’ network at the turnover ceremony of IPC’s presidency at Okada Hotel on Monday (May 16) night.
DESPITE the pandemic, Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) hurdled the challenges and continued operating, thus providing the country’s business sector and workers a hedge amid the economic struggles.
This stands out as the highlight of the seven-year tenure of outgoing IPC president Hajime Koso, under whose leadership IPC was able to expand its dealer network from 36 to 48, according to Isuzu Gencars Corp. chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, who represented the IPC dealers’ network in a speech capping the turnover of IPC’s presidency Monday night, from Koso to incoming president Noboru Murakami.
As the official representative of the Isuzu Dealer Network, Gencars Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon shared a special message with outgoing President Hajime Koso and gave a welcoming toast to incoming President Noboru Murakami.
During Koso’s record stint as the longest-serving IPC chief, a new Isuzu Outlet Standardization Design was also introduced, Cabangon said.
The EURO-4, all-new DMAX and Mu-X were launched, reflecting Isuzu’s mission to cater to the needs of its customers, Cabangon recalled. These were “immediately welcomed with great anticipation and eventually soared to the top” among the vehicles most in demand in the industry,
“Koso san’s administration focused not only on maintaining the reputation of IPC” as a “responsible partner in the automotive industry but in elevating the IPC to new heights in terms of expansion and strengthening sales and aftersales service,” Cabangon said.
Among all the milestones of IPC under Koso’s tenure is successfully hurdling the challenges of the pandemic. “Despite the economic struggles, IPC never ceased to operate and continued to be a formidable organization in the automotive industry,” Cabangon said.
On a personal level, Cabangon said Koso has “always been focused and has a personal touch when dealing with business associates and partners,” something that endears him to Isuzu Gencars, as well as all the other IPC dealers.
Still Cabangon expressed confidence that the “huge shoes” that Koso is leaving behind can be ably filled by his successor, Murakami.
On behalf of all the IPC dealers, Cabangon assured Murakami of the same level of cooperation they extended to Koso. “With a solid and vast experience and expertise in the industry to back him up, we cannot feel anything but positivity on the leadership of Mr. Murakami,” he added.
Isuzu Gencars Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon (6th from left) pose for a souvenir photo with outgoing Isuzu Philippines Corporation President Hajime Koso (7th from left) and incoming President Noboru Murakami (5th from left). With them are (l-r) Moel Montemayor, General Manager of Isuzu Naga; Sharon Tan, Giannina Cabangon, Special Assistant to the President of Isuzu Gencars; Gerry Teruel, Lerma Nacnac, President of Isuzu Gencars; Jerin Guevara, General Manager of Isuzu Batangas; Beth Dimacuha, General Manager of Isuzu Batangas City; Evangeline Garcia, General Manager of Isuzu San Pablo, and William Abril, General Manager of Isuzu Santa Rosa.