Eric de Seynes, who has been President and Chief Executive Officer since 2018 and previously Chief Operating Officer since 2014, will remain in office until the end of 2023, after which he will join the Supervisory Board of YME (Yamaha Motor Europe) as Chairman.
Eric says: “It has been a great honor and privilege to lead the Yamaha Motor Europe group of companies (…) In this decade, we have developed a new marketing strategy in Europe, more than doubled our total net sales and implemented many new customer services and digital applications (…) Europe’s weight has increased on average from 9% to 13% of overall (worldwide) business results, our brand strategy is well established and our single-brand dealer network is strong. These positive results make it the right time to pass the baton. Leading the YME Group is and always will be a challenge, but I am transferring the position of President and CEO into Olivier’s more than capable hands.”
Olivier Prévost, born in 1969 of French origin, will therefore be YME’s new President and CEO as of January 1, 2024. Olivier is no stranger to the company, as he has a long career in the group, initially at MBK as seconded to Yamaha Motor Components Europe, and then gradually moving closer to the heart of YME in its numerous affiliated companies until 2021, when he held the position of Deputy Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.
Olivier, who is to be congratulated, says: “First of all, I would like to thank Eric for his contribution (…) It is with great humility and respect that I accept the challenge of being his successor as President of YME. Over the past ten years, through my various roles in different Yamaha Motor entities, I have strengthened and broadened my knowledge and experience of Yamaha’s organization, operations, business and markets. (…) I don’t expect the path to always be easy, but I believe that as a team we can do it (…) I want to express Yamaha Motor’s ambition to maintain and strengthen its position in the different markets and product groups. (…) The ultimate goal is to strengthen Yamaha’s customer experience and our Kando mission.”
Kando is a Japanese word used to express the feeling of deep satisfaction combined with enthusiasm that one feels when faced with something exceptional.