Isuzu Motors India has announced the appointment of Hitoshi Kono as the deputy managing director. He succeeds Shigeru Wakabayashi, who will now assume the role of Division COO, Isuzu Business Division, Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan. The changes, claimed to be as per the busines plans of the company, come at a time when the production at the brand new plant at Sri City is about to resume. Apart from the D-Max range of pick-ups intended for commercial application, and the MU-7 SUV, Isuzu India is working towards the introduction of stylish and personalised pick-ups under the D-Max V-Cross brand name. While the D-Max and the MU-7 began production in India at the Hindustan Motors plant near Chennai, the D-Max V-Cross will be the first product to roll out of the Sri City plant. As the plant goes on stream by the middle of this year, the D-Max and MU-7 production will shift to the Sri City plant. Production at the Hindustan Motors plant is already known to have been disengaged. Before moving to Isuzu India, Kono was General Manager, Isuzu Asia Dept., Isuzu Business Division.