Former Boon Siew Honda Boss Appointed HRC President and CEO
Keiichi Yasuda is the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), the motorsport division of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., taking office on 1 January 2027. Keiichi Yasuda previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd., the official distributor and manufacturer of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia, starting in 2018.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming Executive | Keiichi Yasuda |
| New Role | President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) |
| Effective Date | 1 January 2027 |
| Outgoing Executive | Koji Watanabe (retiring) |
| Current Role (since April 2026) | Executive Vice President and Representative Director, HRC |
| Malaysian Leadership Tenure | President and CEO, Boon Siew Honda (appointed 2018) |
| Indonesian Leadership Tenure | President Director, PT Astra Honda Motor (appointed 2020) |
| Career Start at Honda | 1990 (Human Resources division) |
| Official Announcement Date | 5 October 2026 |
| Official Malaysian Distributor Link | Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd. |
Keiichi Yasuda, former President and CEO of Boon Siew Honda in Malaysia, will officially assume the role of President and CEO of Honda Racing Corporation on 1 January 2027.
Why Is Keiichi Yasuda Appointed as HRC President and CEO for 2027?
Honda Racing Corporation appointed Keiichi Yasuda as President and CEO starting 1 January 2027 as a planned executive rotation to support business expansion. The 1 January effective date aligns leadership with the start of the 2027 motorsport season, diverging from the traditional April corporate handover window in Japan.
According to an official Honda Racing statement dated 5 October 2026, Keiichi Yasuda joined Honda in 1990 via the human resources division. He held key international management appointments, including serving as President and CEO of Boon Siew Honda in Malaysia in 2018 and President Director of Astra Honda Motor in Indonesia in 2020, before leading Honda's human resources unit in 2023 to execute organisational restructuring and talent development strategies. Yasuda replaces Koji Watanabe, who led HRC from 2022 through the integration of motorcycle and automobile racing operations, the expansion of HRC US, and the establishment of HRC UK.
Yasuda menyatakan keutamaannya ialah pembangunan tenaga kerja dan organisasi bagi meneruskan usaha memburu kemenangan di litar.
Careta, reporting an official statement from Honda Racing dated 5 October 2026
The appointment takes effect on 1 January 2027 to align Honda Racing Corporation's executive management directly with the opening of the 2027 global racing calendar.
How It Compares for Malaysian Users
For Malaysian motorsport followers and motorcycle owners supported by Boon Siew Honda, Keiichi Yasuda's ascension places an executive with direct operational experience in Malaysia at the helm of Honda's global racing operations. Boon Siew Honda oversees local assembly and distribution of commuter underbone motorcycles (kapcai) as well as performance machines across Peninsular and East Malaysia.
Keiichi Yasuda's regional executive trajectory demonstrates extensive familiarity with Southeast Asian motorcycle markets, transitioning from Boon Siew Honda in Malaysia in 2018 to PT Astra Honda Motor in Indonesia in 2020 before rising to global HRC leadership.
Keiichi Yasuda's past leadership at Boon Siew Honda connects Malaysian two-wheel market management directly to the pinnacle of Honda Racing Corporation's global racing programmes.
Common Questions
When does Keiichi Yasuda officially take over Honda Racing Corporation?
Keiichi Yasuda officially assumes the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Racing Corporation on 1 January 2027, taking over from the retiring Koji Watanabe ahead of the 2027 global racing season.
What roles did Keiichi Yasuda hold in Malaysia and Southeast Asia?
Keiichi Yasuda was appointed President and CEO of Boon Siew Honda in Malaysia in 2018. Following his tenure in Malaysia, he became President Director of PT Astra Honda Motor in Indonesia in 2020.
Why did Honda Racing Corporation select a 1 January start date instead of April?
Honda selected 1 January 2027 so the new management team can commence work at the very beginning of the 2027 racing season, rather than adhering to the customary April corporate appointment cycle in Japan.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based on the report "Bekas Presiden Boon Siew Honda dilantik Presiden dan CEO HRC mulai 2027" authored by Qalif Latif, published by Careta on 7 October 2026, which references an official Honda Racing corporate statement released on 5 October 2026. Non-English source facts have been translated into British English while retaining formal corporate entities such as Honda Racing Corporation, Boon Siew Honda, and Astra Honda Motor. No financial figures or pricing in RM or USD were contained in the source material, and none have been extrapolated. This article was last updated on 7 October 2026. Information specific to Malaysia was verified against historical corporate records of Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd.