Mazda Motor Corporation has announced the following organizational and personnel changes, effective April 1, 2016.

1. Organizational Changes

(1) Changes in the area of China Business

Aim

• Re-organize and consolidate the business planning and sales and marketing operations by company in China, and integrate them by function in order to establish a unified brand and further strengthen Mazda's business foundation in the country.

Details of the organizational changes

• Consolidate the China Business Dept. No. 1 and China Business Dept. No. 2 into the newly established China Marketing Department and China Business Promotion Department.
• Eliminate the China Business Department No. 1 and China Business Department No. 2 in line with the above change.

(2) Changes in the area of MDI Project

Aim

• As information technology advances and the needs of the customer diversify, begin a new stage of Mazda Digital Innovation (MDI) aimed at addressing Mazda's business challenges in the mid- to long-term.

Details of the organizational changes

• Establish the MDI Project Office.

(3) Changes in the area of R&D Liaison

Aim

• Streamline the organization responsible for coordinating R&D activities between Mazda and Ford, in line with the change in the financial relationship between the companies.

Details of the organizational changes

• Eliminate the R&D Liaison Office and transfer the functions of exchanging technological information and promoting joint projects between Mazda and Ford to the R&D Technical Administration Division.

(4) Changes in the area of Design

Aim

• To plan and propose expressions, visual assets and communications that relate to the brand style in order to enhance control over the quality of the same.

Details of the organizational change

• Establish the Brand Style Management Department within the Design Division.

(5) Changes in the area of Domestic Business

Aim

• Establish a framework for working with dealerships nationwide in a more efficient manner in order to implement initiatives for brand value enhancement at dealerships in Japan.

Details of the organizational change

• Establish the East Japan Business Department and West Japan Business Department within the Domestic Business Division.

2. Personnel Changes

(1) Executive officers

Executives to step down from their positions

(2) General managers and above