Mike Sweers Retiring - Effective September 12, 2025

Press Release
https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-announces-executive-changes-17/
Bio
https://pressroom.toyota.com/biographies/mike-sweers/

Toyota Motor North America Announces Executive Changes
August 12, 2025

PLANO, Texas (Aug. 12, 2025) – Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today announced executive changes designed to drive continued growth, advance its commitment to vehicle electrification and prepare for the future of mobility.

Retirement
Mike Sweers, executive vice president, TMNA, Research and Development, and chief technology officer, will retire effective September 12. He is responsible for all North American vehicle research and development and serves on TMNA’s North American Executive Committee. Sweers also serves as senior professionals/senior management member at Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).

Sweers began his career with Toyota in 1990 and has held numerous leadership roles at Toyota Technical Center and TMNA R&D in the Interior Design and Liaison department and Engineering Design. He was also principal engineer with a focus on seat and seatbelt design.

In July 2010, Sweers was named chief engineer for the Toyota Tundra followed by chief engineer of the Toyota Tacoma in April 2012. In 2017, Sweers was assigned to TMC’s Commercial Vehicle Company (CV Co.) as chief engineer for body-on-frame trucks and to CV’s executive management team. Prior to these appointments, he was promoted to vice president of Engineering Design, Interior. And in June 2023, Sweers was named executive vice president, TMNA, Research and Development, and chief technology officer.

Sweers has received U.S. patents for automotive seating and interior trim components. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Promotion
Keita Moritsu, current senior executive, TMNA, Research & Development, will be promoted to senior vice president, TMNA, Research and Development, chief technology officer, effective September 8. He will be responsible for all North American vehicle research and development and serve on TMNA’s North American Executive Committee. Moritsu will report to Tetsuo Ogawa, president, CEO, TMNA. In this role, Moritsu will retain his global chief engineer responsibilities for body-on-frame trucks and platforms including Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner at TMC.

Moritsu began his career with TMC in 1999 in the Body Design Division working on the development and design of vehicle underbody functional components. In 2007, he was assigned to North American R&D’s Z Division working on product planning for the Lexus RX in the regional market.

In 2010, Moritsu returned to TMC and was responsible for product planning for the Camry. Moritsu was promoted to Global Chief Engineer in 2023 responsible for body-on-frame trucks and SUVs including the North American truck series and Land Cruiser series and platforms.

 

Is this a good thing or a bad thing, or just a thing?

I'm being serious; I'm obviously familiar w/him, but not enough to know whether him retiring is expected to affect Tundras, the refresh 'rate', or what have you.

 

He was originally going to retire in 2023, but Toyota asked him for two additional years. This is per his response to a comment on Facebook.