Tuesday, August 21, 2012

AKIO OZAKA

The Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Executive of the Global Sales Division of Toshiba-Carrier Corporation reveals his company’s India roadmap to B&E’s Surbhi Chawla & Neha Saraiya

In 1998, Carrier and Toshiba decided to start a 40:60 joint venture, which led to the creation of one of the world’s leading companies in air conditioning technology, the Toshiba Carrier Corporation. With the overall air conditioner market in India estimated to be Rs.3-4 millions units annually and witnessing a growth rate of 20-25%, the company wasn’t expected to miss the opportunity India offers. Riding on multiple clients and even the recent large value project from Emmar-MGF for the Commonwealth Games Village in New Delhi, Toshiba-Carrier Corporation has registered a cumulative annual growth rate of 66% from 2005 to 2009. Akio Ozaka, Sr. VP and head of the Global Sales Division for Toshiba-Carrier Corporation is the man in charge responsible for overseas sales and marketing of air-conditioning products. He joined the Exports Division of Toshiba Corporation in 1975. After stints in various divisions across various geographies (he even served as the CEO of Toshiba America Consumer Products, where he successfully managed the critical business challenge faced by the DVD segment and rejuvenated the US market for Toshiba), Akio finally joined Toshiba Carrier Corporation in 2009. In a meeting with B&E, Akio Ozaka reveals his India specific plans, the strategies for the future, the challenges posed by the Indian market, and why he believes Toshiba Carrier Corporation can meet all of them.

B&E: How has been your experience in India so far?
Akio Ozaka: Toshiba has been acknowledged the world over for its innovation and quality standards. We have the same reputation in India. With the Toshiba brand already popular in India, our air conditioning products have made an immediate connection with Indian consumers who are looking for quality products.

B&E: How did Toshiba fare in the year 2009-10?
Akio Ozaka: Last year was very challenging, yet interesting. In India, we won several key projects in the condominium segment, hospitality, health care, retail, and office premises. Some of our prominent customers include Emmar MGF for the Commonwealth Games Village, L&T Arun Excello, Koutons, Titan, Tanishq, and Puma.

B&E: What is the prime area of focus for Toshiba in India?
Akio Ozaka: At Toshiba airconditioning, we plan to advance the ‘eco-evolution’ in India by introducing products, which not only aid in energy conservation, but also promote the use of non-ozone depleting refrigerants. We have introduced an inverter range of air conditioners in India. Inverters are variable speed air conditioners, which can adjust the speed of the compressor to produce varying levels of cooling as required by the room or space. This technology also leads to substantial savings in electricity consumption, unlike the conventional fixed-speed ACs that are mostly used in India today.

B&E: Who in reality are your primary target audience? Corporations or households?
Akio Ozaka: Both the segments – corporations and households – are equally important to us as we have a comprehensive product portfolio catering to both the residential as well as the corporate segment. Our Daisekai and Inverter Hi-wall series primarily caters to the households, while the digital inverter cassettes and ducted are ideal for light commercial applications like showrooms, restaurants and small offices. For the commercial segment, we have the Super Modular Multi system (SMMS).


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