Press release

Expansion of Management in EMEA region

Hamburg, April 2024 – At the beginning of the new business year in Japan, the management team at the TOA EMEA region introduces changes. The leadership consisting of Daisuke Imagawa and Kosuke Tanaka will be complemented by Stéphane Charles and Volker Scheid for TOA Electronics Europe GmbH, and Lauren Sher and Yuichiro Honjo for TOA Electronics Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, effective April 1st, 2024. Ian Bridgewater has already been appointed Managing Director of TOA Corporation (UK) Limited as of January 1st, 2024.

Management of TOA Electronics Europe GmbH

Daisuke Imagawa, current Managing Director of the TOA Electronics Europe GmbH (TEE) in Europe, Africa and the Middle East since 2022, welcomes the addition. “With Stéphane Charles and Volker Scheid, we are enhancing our leadership team with experienced industry professionals. Together we will continue to expand our business, optimize our processes, and continue to develop our product line in a sustainable and innovative manner. The focus remains on our long-standing customer relationships and our comprehensive service standards.”

The French office has been led by Stéphane Charles since the beginning of 2020, who is now joining TOA Electronics Europe as a director. Charles says, “I am grateful for the trust and support received by my colleagues, and I look forward to supporting them in their efforts to grow the markets in our territories”. With over 30 years of experience in export in the PA/VA industry, Charles’ focus is on supporting the company's development, increasing market share, and sustain the growing of the TEE team daily.

As of April 1st, Imagawa officially appoints his colleague Volker Scheid as director of TOA Electronics Europe GmbH. Scheid gathered many years of experience at TOA and already works in the director position since 2023. Scheid states, “The evolving work environment requires constant adaption and optimization of our processes. Our team strives to provide our customers across the EMEA region with first-class service alongside high-quality products every day. I look forward to supporting TOA Europe in developing by growing the solid foundation laid by my predecessors."

Management of TOA Electronics Southern Africa Proprietary Limited

At TOA South Africa Lauren Sher, General Manager – Sub Saharan Africa, based in the Johannesburg office will take over the business direction in the African markets as Director. Based on a strong presence in South Africa, with sales offices in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, Sher is focusing on expanding sales to numerous African countries. “The strength of TOA Southern Africa is the team’s combined awareness, motivation, respect for individual roles, team collaboration and support of each other which is key to our success. It is this success that I will drive”, says Sher.
Together with her and current managing director Daisuke Imagawa, Yuichiro Honjo is named as director as of 1^st April. “Continuous growth into new regions and the expansion of the solid base in South Africa are important cornerstones of the corporate strategy and offers sustainable growth opportunities for us”, states Honjo on his new role.

Management of TOA Corporation (UK) Limited

In the UK, Ian Bridgewater (Managing Director since 1^st January 2024), who has been with TOA since 1990, is responsible for the direction of the business together with Daisuke Imagawa (Director) and Kosuke Tanaka (Director).

The changes at the management level underline the strategic focus of TOA Electronics Europe GmbH on sustainable growth, customer satisfaction and innovation.

Leadership changes at TOA Corporation, the headquarter in Japan

A new management member in Japan will be promoted in summer 2024: Mr. Takashi Nishino will be starting his role as Director of TOA Corporation, filling in for the retiring Mr. Yoshinori Masuno. A formal decision on this matter will be taken at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held in June 2024.
Since April 1^st this year, Nishino is Executive Officer and Executive Manager of the International Business Division at the headquarter in Japan. Working for TOA Corporation since 1995, Nishino has gained experience in various positions, most recently as general manager in the Asia Pacific business department.