Osamu Suzuki was a visionary businessman who did not shy away from taking risks. He played a gamble when, in 1981, he decided to join forces with Maruti to establish a million-dollar company, Maruti Suzuki, in India. Over the years, the company turned out to be a highly efficient business endeavour, which not only brought him fame and money but massive respect for taking the automobile industry to the next level. However, the legend is now no more.
There is nothing as uncertain as life, but one thing is for sure that Osamu Suzuki lived a long and fruitful life. On December 25, 2024, the automobile legend breathed his last. He was suffering from malignant lymphoma, which is a hematologic cancer in which white blood cells become cancerous. Talking about his death, Hormazd Sorabjee, editor of Autocar sated:
“Osamu Suzuki, the man who took a punt on India, completely transformed India’s automotive landscape. His legacy of putting an entire subcontinent on wheels, starting with the humble 800, can never be forgotten.”
Osamu Suzuki’s leadership was marked by his strategic vision and business acumen. He served two terms as president, making him the longest-serving head of a global automaker. Under his guidance, Suzuki Motor formed strategic alliances with General Motors and Volkswagen, a move that significantly expanded its presence in North America and Europe. His most daring move, however, was the entry into the Indian market in the 1980s.
Legend has it that in 1981, Osamu Suzuki, while on a plane, came across a story in India Today magazine about Maruti's quest for partners in the automotive industry. His immediate response to his team in Japan was a game-changing declaration:
“We need to be in this race.”
This spontaneous decision was a turning point for the Suzuki Motor Corporation, significantly enhancing its influence in the global auto industry. Today, Maruti Suzuki India boasts a market cap of USD. 46.9 billion, outpacing its Japanese parent company, which is half its size and has a market cap of USD. 22.1 billion.
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We hope and pray that Osamu's family gets the strength to heal from the loss.
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