CARLO Simongini (right) has left Mazda Motor Europe after five years as managing director and chairman of its Italia Spa division.

Giovanni Barbieri has now assumed day-to-day responsibility for leading the company along with the senior team.

Mr Barbieri joined Mazda Italy in 2006 as finance manager and was appointed finance director in June last year.

Prior to that, he held a number of management positions in Ford’s finance organisation in the US, UK and Italy.

Mazda Italy has said it will announce a new managing director in the near future.