Korpershoek has also been appointed to the executive committee of the positioning business unit of Topcon Corporation where he will be in charge of global marketing.
Tony Hirayama, currently CEO of Topcon Positioning Iberia / InlandGEO and a director of TEP, will become the new managing director of TEP. Hirayama will also remain in his current positions.
“Ewout is a tremendous leader,” said Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of TPS and managing executive officer of Topcon Corporation. “His management of TEP has seen it through both rapid growth and an austere economy. Ewout’s vast experience, creativity and keen judgment have provided the solid foundation for success.
“I have asked him to be our first chief marketing officer, reporting directly to me, using his talents to lead and unite TPS and TEP in the critical areas of marketing and product management. Combined with his new responsibility for global marketing on the Topcon executive committee, we now have the opportunity to serve our many markets with a unified message and the strongest products worldwide,” said O’Connor.
“There is no one in the Topcon executive management team that has more diverse leadership experience than Tony Hirayama,” O’Connor said. “His years at TPS, then at headquarters, then in Australia and Europe with precision agriculture, and as a director of TEP make him ideally equipped to lead TEP as we continue to add new markets and growth opportunities.”
In his new position, Korpershoek will manage the first steps of true globalization of Topcon marketing and product management. Under his leadership the TPS and TEP marketing, product management, and training teams will integrate their talents and resources to harmonize the Topcon brand message and customer experience in the western hemisphere.
“I am very excited to have this opportunity,” Korpershoek said. “This integration has been an objective of both TPS and TEP for a long time and I’m honored to be asked to lead it. I’m also very happy that Tony will be my new partner at TEP. He is a distinguished and dedicated leader and I will depend on his global perspective very heavily as we move forward.”
About his appointment to managing director, Hirayama expressed his gratitude to Steve Hirano, Topcon executive officer and general manager of the global positioning business unit, and O’Connor. “I appreciate the trust that Mr. Hirano and Ray have given to me. It is a great honor to take on this new role and big responsibilities at TEP. We have a big challenge under the current unpredictable economy in Europe.
“I am thankful for the solid course that has already been established within TEP, and the opportunity to work closely with Ulrich Hermanski and Jan van der Weijden as we lead the TEP team to continue the growth that it has experienced under their direction.”
Korpershoek, who joined TEP in 1991, will remain a resident of the Netherlands, but spend extensive time working at TPS. Hirayama, who joined Topcon in 1985, will relocate to the Netherlands in the near future, but continue to spend time in Madrid at Topcon Positioning Iberia / InlandGEO as required.
