Infiniti appoints Toshihiro Hirai as Global Head of Infiniti Program Management

Toshihiro Hirai has been appointed Infiniti's new Program Director & Global Head of Program Management, effective April 1. In this role, he is responsible for planning and executing all future vehicle programs for Infiniti. Hirai is based at Infiniti's global technical
center in Atsugi, Japan.

"We continue to transform Infiniti so we can grow further within the premium automotive market," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. "It is paramount that we launch our new products on time, with the right volume and at the quality levels that premium customers expect and deserve. Hirai-san's global experience and his track record in Engineering and Program Management will be great assets on our journey."

Hirai is a highly experienced proven global engineering leader starting his career as a powertrain engineer at Nissan. As of 1993, he gained international experience from an assignment at the company's European engineering center in Cranfield, UK, where he expanded into product engineering. Upon his return to Japan in 1996, he was named Chief Powertrain Engineer for a joint Nissan-Renault engine program.

He subsequently held a number of senior leadership positions in Engineering and Program Management such as General Manager, Powertrain Engineering; Powertrain Program Director; and most recently Program Director for highly successful platform used for vehicles such as the highly successful Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail.

Hirai is a Japanese citizen. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Waseda University in Japan.

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