Mazda Turkey Managing Director Leaves Company

Just one year after he was promoted to the Managing Director position, Bora Koçak announced he will leave Mazda Turkey this month, due to what he says are personal reasons. The carmaker says Koçak’s successor is to be announced officially the following weeks.

Bora Koçak took over the position from Steve Newton, who returned to Mazda Motor Europe in Leverkusen. Koçak was General Manager responsible for Sales, Marketing and After Sales Operations at that time. For Mazda’s sake, we hope the next Managing DIrector will last more in this position than his predecessor.

“Mazda Motor Europe announced today that current Managing Director of Mazda Motor Turkey, Bora Koçak, has decided to leave the company for personal reasons. Mr Koçak has led Mazda’s Turkish subsidiary for the last year and will end his contract at the end of March 2010,” a company statement reads.

“I’d like to thank Bora for the good work he did for us in Turkey,” said Philip J. Waring, Chief Operating Officer at Mazda Motor Europe, “and we wish him well.”

We here at autoevolution, however, cannot refrain from saying “We told you so!”. When Koçak was promoted last year, we were somehow taken by surprise with Mazda’s decision. Though Koçak held several executive positions at Citroen, Kia, Lada for more than 12 years, he only had one year within Mazda Turkey when taking over such a challenging position.

We might be a bit reluctant, but Koçak’s decision to leave Mazda Turkey is still wrapped in mystery. Hopefully, this will all be cleared as soon as his contract ends.