GT Capital’s auto unit names Toyota Asia Pacific executive as new chairman

PHOTO FROM VINCE SOCCO’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

THE former executive vice president of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) has been named chairman of GT Capital Auto Dealership Holdings, Inc. (GTCAD), a wholly-owned subsidiary of GT Capital Holdings, Inc.

Named to the post is Vicente Saniel “Vince” Socco, who counts nearly 40 years of involvement with Toyota. He was general affairs manager of Toyota’s Manila liaison office before getting assigned in 1988 to Toyota Motor Philippines, where he was eventually appointed senior vice president for marketing.

In 2007, Socco secured the same position at Lexus Asia while concurrently serving as executive for country operations at TMAP — Toyota Motor’s regional office based in Singapore.

Socco in 2014 was named general manager at TMAP, performing his duties from Toyota Motor Corp.’s global headquarters in Japan. He returned to TMAP’s office in Singapore to serve as executive vice president until his retirement from service in July.

Besides auto sector interests like TMP, GTCAD and Toyota Manila Bay Corp., GT Capital’s component companies are Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp., Sumisho Motor Finance Corp., Federal Land, Inc., Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.