Mazda names 38-year old American as chief

Mazda names 38-year old American as chief
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TOKYO, DECEMBER 15: Mazda Motor Corp on Wednesday appointed a 38-year old American as president in a move seen breathing fresh energy into Japan's fifth-largest automaker and Ford Motor Co affiliate.

Mark Fields, who joined Mazda in 1998 after 10 years at Ford, becomes the youngest president of a Japanese automaker and replaces James Miller, who retired after two years at the helm.

Miller told a news conference that doctors had advised him last year to consider stepping down and that in recent weeks it had become clear he had "no option but to retire".

"I am very very confident that I will be able to provide strong leadership for the organisation in what is a brutally competitive environment," said the confidence-exuding Fields.

Analysts said the timing of the change was puzzling given there had been few complaints about Miller's leadership but added that Fields would probably be a more aggressive chief.

"He inherits a company which is moving in the right direction but he does inject a certaindegree of energy which will be very welcome," said Howard Smith, analyst at ING Baring Securities.

Fields joined Mazda in August last year as a senior adviser for marketing and sales, after moving swiftly through Ford's ranks. He became a senior managing director in June and was made executive vice-president assisting the president last month.