Global automotive industry outlook: An East meets West perspective

by Loreena Bao, Andrew Fellows, Akio Okamura, Simone Zahn

The automotive industry is entering a critical decade of transformation — driven by electrification and rising geopolitical uncertainty. As global OEMs and suppliers navigate shifting tariffs and accelerate supply chain realignment, one truth is clear: there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. Now localization is more important than ever.

In this briefing, industry experts share perspectives from China, Japan, Germany, and the United States — four of the most influential automotive markets. With deep, on-the-ground intelligence, we provide strategic foresight to help you understand how each market thinks and competes.

Whether your focus is on strengthening brand differentiation, optimizing operational efficiency or exploring new revenue streams, this report gives you actionable insights to look beyond the noise and plan for long-term success.

Download our report

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Loreena Bao

Executive Director, China

With over 15 years of experience in business development, project management, and consultancy, Loreena specializes in driving strategic growth across global markets, particularly in China. As the Executive Director at Star, she leads multidisciplinary teams that deliver seamless solutions across various industries, including Automotive & Mobility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Media & Advertising, and more.

Andrew Fellows

Global Head of Automotive & Mobility at Star

Andrew has over 30 years of global experience in automotive, manufacturing and private equity. As Global Head of Automotive at Star, he partners with OEMs and startups to drive transformation, operational excellence and brand growth. He helps clients harness AI, machine learning and deep consumer insights. Previously, he held senior roles at Infosys, KPMG, Capgemini, BMW and Audi.

Akio Okamura

Managing Director, Japan

Akio Okamura is a global executive with three decades of experience in engineering consulting and tech-driven transformation in the automotive sector. At Star, he leads digital experience and platform adoption initiatives for national clients across automotive and marketing agencies. Before joining Star, he held leadership roles at Accenture, Ricardo Japan, Roland Berger and A.T. Kearney advising global companies on business strategy. He began his career as an R&D engineer at Nissan and holds an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Simone Zahn

Business Development Director, DACH

Simone Zahn is a senior commercial executive with two decades of leadership in digital transformation and innovation in the automotive industry. Before joining Star she held senior roles at Pegasystems, diconium, IBM and VASS where she led strategic growth initiatives and forged partnerships with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers across the DACH region. At Star she supports regional clients with operational efficiency and in-car experience using platforms, AI and design.