Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has announced executive changes as part of its strategy to support growth and continue its focus on vehicle electrification.
Mike Sweers, executive vice president of TMNA Research and Development and chief technology officer, will retire effective September 12. Sweers is responsible for all North American vehicle research and development and serves on TMNA’s North American Executive Committee. He also holds a senior management position at Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).
Sweers joined Toyota in 1990 and held various leadership positions in the company’s technical centers, including roles focused on interior design, engineering design, and seat safety systems. In July 2010, he became chief engineer for the Toyota Tundra, followed by a similar role for the Tacoma in April 2012. In 2017, he was assigned to TMC’s Commercial Vehicle Company as chief engineer for body-on-frame trucks. He later served as vice president of Engineering Design, Interior, before being named executive vice president of TMNA R&D in June 2023. Sweers holds U.S. patents related to automotive seating and interior trim components and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Keita Moritsu will be promoted from his current position as senior executive at TMNA Research & Development to senior vice president, TMNA Research and Development, chief technology officer effective September 8. Moritsu will oversee all North American vehicle research and development efforts and serve on TMNA’s North American Executive Committee. He will report directly to Tetsuo Ogawa, president and CEO of TMNA. Moritsu will continue his global responsibilities as chief engineer for body-on-frame trucks and platforms such as the Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner at TMC.
Moritsu started with TMC in 1999 working on underbody functional components in the Body Design Division. In 2007 he joined North American R&D’s Z Division focusing on product planning for the Lexus RX regional market before returning to Japan in 2010 to work on Camry product planning. In 2023 he was promoted to Global Chief Engineer overseeing body-on-frame trucks and SUVs including models like Land Cruiser.
Toyota has been present in North America for nearly seven decades through its Toyota and Lexus brands along with more than 1,800 dealerships. The company employs about 64,000 people across the region who have helped produce almost 49 million vehicles at its fourteen manufacturing plants.
In line with Toyota’s electrification strategy, its plant in North Carolina began manufacturing automotive batteries for electrified vehicles starting in 2025 (https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-battery-manufacturing-north-carolina-expands-investment-to-support-electrification/). The automaker currently offers thirty electrified vehicle options—more than any other car manufacturer.
For additional details about Toyota’s operations or corporate updates visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
