Toyota Australia has announced that John Conomos AO will step down from his position of Chairman Emeritus and Principal Policy Advisor at Toyota on 30 June this year.

Mr Conomos has spent more than 40 years in the automotive industry and a large part of that time has been with Toyota. He joined the Japanese giant in 1981 and has since been deeply involved in the growth and development of Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited.

Mr Conomos is pulling up stumps at a time when Toyota is experiencing unprecedented demand for its product in Australia and the news of his retirement closely follows the announcement earlier this week that local manufacture of the Camry hybrid will begin in 2010.

In 2006 Mr Conomos retired as Executive Chairman of Toyota Australia and Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, positions he held since 2004, to take on his current role.

Mr Conomos will also retire from the Board of Directors of Sydney City Toyota, Toyota Financial Services and the Board of Toyota New Zealand, but will continue in the role of Chairman of Hino Motor Sales Australia Ltd.

“It has been a privilege to work in what I consider the most exciting and dynamic industry in the world. I have been extremely fortunate to meet and work side-by-side with some truly remarkable people both in Australia and across the world,” Mr Conomos said.

President of Toyota Australia Mr Max Yasuda said that Mr Conomos had been an inspirational industry leader.

“John’s retirement from Toyota marks the end of an amazing era for the Australian industry. We appreciate his valuable expertise, support and dedication through many challenging times. We extend our very best wishes to him and his wife Barbara for a long and fulfilling retirement,” Mr Yasuda said.

John Conomos was a member of the Business Consultative Group for APEC 2007 and in June 2005 he was awarded the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.