Honda Australia to get new top boss from next month

Honda Australia Director and Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Collins, has announced he is to resign as of next month.

Following Collins’ departure on November 4, Honda Australia has announced that existing Director and Honda Australia board member, Carolyn McMahon, will take over the COO position.

“Whilst I am saddened that my close colleague Stephen has decided to depart, I thank him for his substantial contribution to Honda and wish him, and his family, all the very best for the future,” McMahon said.

“As we start on the next phase for the company, we have a strong group of leaders at Honda Australia who are well placed to take the business forward”.

The move for McMahon comes after decades-long experience with Honda Australia, with Honda Australia’s CEO and Managing Director, Yoshitaka Okamoto stating: “Carolyn is a widely respected leader within Honda and her 27 years’ experience with the company puts her in a strong position to lead the future of Honda in Australia”.

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One of the major capstones of Collins’ decade-long tenure with Honda Australia was his significant role in implementing an industry-first ‘agency model‘, setting in place a more centralised dealer network, stock management and set pricing.

Collins also, more recently, oversaw the unification of Honda’s local automotive business and Honda’s motorcycle/power equipment businesses after having operated independently of each other for the past three decades.

Along with the announcement of his forthcoming resignation, Collins stated: “It has been a privilege to lead the amazing Honda team for more than a decade and the business now has a strong foundation for the future.”