Marko Wowcznya has been promoted to the role of Managing Director of NGK Spark Plugs UK, replacing Tammy Suzuki who has returned to Japan after four years at the helm.
2017: AFTERMARKET LIVES: VISIT TO NGK
Wowcznya is the first non-Japanese person to hold the role at the UK division. He joined the firm in 2012 as General Manager – Aftermarket, since when he has held a number of senior management positions including those of Automotive Director and Deputy Managing Director. Prior to NGK, he held senior roles at a number of big names in the aftermarket, including Lucas, Denso and Sogefi.
Commenting on his promotion, Wowczyna said: “I am looking forward to my new role and the opportunities that will open up as NGK continues to expand product ranges and actively seeks new markets for the future. COVID-19 obviously had an impact on the company, particularly at the peak of the first lockdown, but we have been pleasantly surprised and pleased at how quickly the business has recovered, in both the aftermarket and OEM sectors”.
I thought Jim Hughes was first non Japanese Director at NGK and what a great leader he was.
Jim Hughes was indeed a great leader, taking NGK from virtually unknown in the UK to No.1 in the space of about two years. However, NGK had sent an ‘editor in chief’ from Japan to oversee the operation, so Hughes was GM not MD as I understand it. If anybody has CAT vol.1 issue.1, an interview with Hughes in it explains all (unfortunately the launch issue has long since been lost from the archive).