Takehiko Harada joined Toyota Motor Corp. in 1968 as head of the machine department and head of engineering works, as well as the project general manger of the Operations Management Consulting Division (Toyota’s Toyota Production System deployment group). In 1999 Harada was the CEO for Kuozui Motors (Taiwan’s Toyota Motors), and in 2000 he became a director of Toyota Motor Corp. Harada was president of Chuo Spring, an automotive parts manufacturer, from 2005 until he retired in 2010. Currently Harada tirelessly shows company leaders how to use lean to make great working environments, not profits at the expense of employees.