Jim Aota has been promoted to CEO and managing director of Yamaha Motor Ventures and Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), a US-based corporate venturing subsidiary of Japan-listed motorised vehicle manufacturer Yamaha Motor.
Aota moved from Yamaha’s headquarters in Iwata, Japan, where he had led its corporate planning division. Prior to joining the company in 2017, he had been with diversified trading group Mitsui.
The promotion will involve Aota replacing George Kellerman, who has been hired as head of investments and acquisitions for Toyota Research Institute – Advanced Development (TRI-AD), which is owned by Japan-headquartered automotive manufacturer Toyota.
Kellerman is rejoining Hiroshi Saijo, vice-president of business development and strategy at TRI-AD. He was hired in January this year having previously been CEO and then chairman of YMVSV.
Toyota maintains a separate corporate venturing unit, Toyota AI Ventures, which is run by Jim Adler, but its TRI-AD division under James Kuffner is focused more on mobility.
TRI-AD is currently collaborating with Toyota AI Ventures on a new call for innovation for technology for smart cities of the future.
Photo of Jim Aota courtesy of LinkedIn.
