Collins will leave the company next month, after nearly 14 years with the Japanese carmaker
Long-serving Honda Australia CEO Stephen Collins has resigned.
His almost-14-year career with Honda Australia will end in November when he will pass the baton along to one of the company’s longest-serving executives.
Collins, who has been in the automotive industry since 1996, had overseen a challenging period for the automotive brand in Australia, as it became the first mass-market car brand to adopt an agency model.
Though sales have fallen consistently over the last couple of years, Collins recently told carsales that he believed the business was in “good shape.”
“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,” Collins (below) said in a statement.
“It has been an enormous honour to represent such a great global brand that is filled with passionate and talented people, but now is the right time to hand the baton to the next generation.”
The shift to an agency model required a complete reset for the brand. It included the implantation of a new Honda Centre network, updated centralised marketing and stock management, and the introduction of a ‘Honda Price Promise’ that removed the requirement for customers to negotiate on the sales floor.
More recently, Collins oversaw the unification of Honda’s local automotive and motorcycle/power equipment businesses, after the two were run as two separate entities for the last 30 years.
A new head office, a new national parts distribution centre and the expansion of a multi-purpose site located in Melbourne’s north were all part of the reboot of Honda’s businesses in Australia.
“First and foremost, we thank and appreciate Mr Collins’s dedication to Honda’s business operations in Australia,” Honda Australia Managing Director & CEO Yoshitaka Okamoto said.
“Stephen has given advance notice of the timing of his departure but is committed to working with the team to finalise a number of important projects and initiatives.
“His leadership, strategic thinking and strong relationships across the network, industry and government, have been critical in establishing a strong base for the future of Honda.”
Collins will be replaced as CEO by Carolyn McMahon (below), a 27-year veteran of the Honda Australia business and a current board member and director of Honda Australia.
“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,” said Okamoto.
“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,” said Ms McMahon.
“As we start 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.”
