Akinori Hyodo | Senior Consultant – TPS Lean Sensei

Akinori is a leading Toyota Production System consultant and lean sensei with a 40-year career with Toyota Japan.

Akinori is a veteran TPS and lean management consultant well-versed in process improvement, kaizen implementation and human resource development.

Amongst his various roles held previously, Akinori served as the factory manager at Gifu Auto Body – the Toyota factory in Japan responsible for the manufacture of the HiAce and Coaster vehicles. His career highlights also included roles such as Toyota Parts Factory Manager, key member and leader of All-Toyota Kaizen Promotion Jishuken program and Head of TPS Promotion Office. Akinori was also later appointed to be Director in charge of TPS promotion.

Now retired from Toyota with extensive manufacturing experience spanning four decades, Akinori works with Shinka Management as a TPS expert and lean sensei providing lean training courses and seminars for our clients across the world.

Akinori regularly leads the training component of our Lean Japan Tours and Kaizen Training Courses in Japan, and consultants to companies around the world from a wide range of industries.

Expertise

Toyota Production System
Plant management and operation
Productivity improvements
Quality management
Cost reduction
Kaizen implementation
Lean manufacturing and kaizen training
Leadership skills and human resource development

Experience

Gifu Auto Body – Factory Manager, Director – TPS Promotion

Gifu Auto Body is one of the 18 Toyota group final assembly plants in Japan, which is consistently ranked the number one Toyota factory globally for its outstanding quality management and excellence. Akinori held several significant senior management roles including Factory Manager and Director in charge of TPS promotion. Under Akinori’s management, the plant made remarkable improvements in the quality of products.

Shinka Management – Senior Consultant and Lean Sensei

As a former Toyota veteran, Akinori provides regular lean management training courses and seminars around the world. He runs a range of training courses with a particular focus on TPS, kaizen, leadership skills and human resource development. Akinori spends two thirds of his year travelling around the globe including Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East to consult with corporates and organisations in a number of different sectors and industries. He is also a regular leader of the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour, leading TPS study tours to Japan.

Other Shinka Management Team Members