He will have every reason to feel upbeat about India where Maruti is the market leader by miles but rivals like Hyundai will pull out all stops to bridge the gap. This is when a partner could come in handy for Suzuki especially if it means attaining scale as a means of survival in an intensely competitive global space. For the moment, though, Toshihiro would have no reason to take his eyes off the ASEAN region, India and growth engines like Africa or Latin America. These are the markets of the future (in addition to China, of course) and Suzuki can pretty much hold its own even as a small player. So long as the company remains profitable and plays to its strengths in compact cars, there is no immediate cause for concern. Osamu Suzuki, in his turn, will ensure that the company he so carefully nurtured for decades will not derail itself in a hurry. His experience will be the biggest pillar of support for Toshihiro Suzuki. Published on September 24, 2015