People

Takeo Fukui

Fukui graduated from Waseda University with a BSc in Applied Chemistry and joined Honda in 1969, beginning his career as a member of the team that developed the Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine, which made the Honda Civic the first car to meet the strict emissions standards set by the US Clean Air Act. In 1978 he was transferred to motorcycle racing where he worked developing engines for the 500cc World Championship. This led to the company's first title in 1983 with Freddie Spencer and laid the foundations for further titles with Spencer in 1985, Wayne Gardner in 1987 and the incredible success enjoyed by Mick Doohan in the 1990s. In 1987 he was appointed to head all motorcycle development for Honda and the following year became a board member of the Honda Motor Company. In 1992, he was appointed general manager of Honda's Hamamatsu factory and there followed a period as President of Honda of America in Ohio, where production volume significantly expanded under his tenure. In 1998 Fukui was named President of Honda R&D Co and the following year was put in charge of all motorsports activities, including Formula 1. It was under his management that Honda began to embark on a new adventure in Formula 1 with BAR. In June 2003 he became the sixth president and chief executive of Honda.