Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. who helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company, has died, the company said Friday. He was 94.

Osamu Suzuki, who led the Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor for more than four decades and transformed into a global powerhouse, died on Wednesday in Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo. He was 94.

Osamu Suzuki served as the CEO of Suzuki Motor from 1978 to 2015. He remained a senior advisor of the company until 2021, when he retired at age 91.