IRVINE, CA: Mazda North America said Friday morning that Jay Amestoy will step down from his role as the automaker's longtime PR chief at the year's end.
Amestoy had served as Mazda's VP of public affairs and motorsports for 22 years, making him one of the company's longest-serving corporate officers, it said in a statement.
He will stay with the company as an adviser, reporting to president and CEO Jim O'Sullivan. Amestoy previously worked at Hill & Knowlton, GCI Group, and Volkswagen US.
Jeremy Barnes, director of PR and brand experience, will lead Mazda North America's PR initiatives, while motorsports director John Doonan will lead all motorsports activities at the beginning of next year.
In July, Mazda hired Eric Booth as senior manager of PR, a newly created position. Previously, he was a VP at Hill+Knowlton Strategies where he led the Mazda account. He worked at Nissan North America and Zeno Group prior to that.
The automaker also named Russell Wager VP of marketing, overseeing all marketing communications for the company's US operations in October.
A Mazda representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
