April 14, 2026: Yuasa Battery in the US has appointed Thomas Charno as VP of sales and marketing, succeeding Kazuhi Yoshioka.

Yoshioka (pictured right), who has led the sales and marketing organization for Yuasa Battery since October 2021, is returning to the group’s headquarters in Japan, where he will support the US and other business units in a new role, the battery giant announced on March 19.

Charno (left) joins the company with more than two decades of experience leading sales, marketing, and commercial strategy in the highly engineered B2B manufacturing sector.

He will lead growth initiatives, strengthen OEM and distributor relationships, and ensure product development aligns with market needs using Yuasa’s manufacturing investments in the US.

“I look forward to working closely with our distributors, OEM partners, and internal teams to build on that foundation and continue delivering value to the market,” Charno said.

Ryo Okubo, president and CEO of Yuasa Battery Inc, said Yoshioka had played a key role in building distributor relationships, navigating challenging market conditions and helping position Yuasa for growth.

“We are excited to build on that momentum as Tom steps into this role.”

GS Yuasa president Takashi Abe said last September that lead acid batteries would continue to be the mainstay of the corporation’s global business beyond the next decade.

Abe, who was appointed president in 2024, said the group expected demand for lead acid to remain strong, “at least through 2040” — continuing to provide a solid foundation for business performance.