In early days, following the founding of the GK Design Group, GK designed the first motorcycle for Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. In the years following this model, GK has been designing many other motorcycles and leisure vehicles for Yamaha. Along with motorcycles, Yamaha and GK have explored the industrial design world in Japan. For the recent P-Room seminar, we invited Akihiro Nagaya, Chief General Manager of the Design Section of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. as a lecturer.
Under the title, “HATSU-suru Designs and Design Management,” he introduced the activities of the Design Section of Yamaha, and future designs of the Yamaha brand with his section as the main driving force. He also touched upon future collaborations with GK Dynamics and the GK Design Group as a whole. The heated atmosphere of the audience continued into the gathering after the lecture, and GK members actively exchanged views with him.
We all empathized with his way of actively reviewing designs and organization in the face of rapid social changes. His lecture gave us a precious opportunity to envisage the future image of designs including those for Yamaha Motors.

Akihiro Nagaya:
Executive Officer of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.,
Chief General Manager, Design Section

After joining Toyota Motor Corporation in 1983, he was engaged in the creation of exterior designs for Lexus and other major models of Toyota. He worked in the U.S.A., served as General Manager of Global Lexus Brand Planning Department, General Manager of Toyota Design Division, and CEO of tecno art research co., ltd..
In 2014, he joined Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., and as Chief General Manager of the Design Section, he was responsible for the reform of the company, and became its Executive Officer in 2015.