Hajime Seikaku is the new Vice President of Mazda’s European Research & Development Centre effective 1 October 2018. The 53 year old comes to the Oberursel, Germany facility from Mazda’s Vehicle Development Division in Japan.
Prior to that, he served in various vehicle and parts development capacities for both Mazda and Ford in Europe and Japan. Seikaku first joined Mazda in 1987 after graduating in electrical engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo.
“Mr. Seikaku brings a wealth of vehicle development expertise and knows the requirements and preferences of European market and its customers very well,” says Mazda Motor Europe President & CEO Jeff Guyton. “We’re delighted to have someone join us with such an invaluable level of experience after more than 30 years at Mazda.”
Seikaku succeeds Matsuhiro Tanaka, 57, who has held the position since September 2016. Tanaka is returning to Japan, where he will assume the role of General Manager Chassis Dynamics Development Department.
At Mazda’s European Research & Development Centre in Oberursel, engineers are analysing new technologies as well as developing parts and accessories for the European market. It is also the base of one of Mazda’s three global design studios.