Bridgestone shakes up management in Americas, EMIA regions

Bridgestone Corporation has made several additional executive leadership changes in its Americas and Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMIA) regions.

The tyre maker says that the changes “reflect the company’s commitment to thoughtful succession planning with laser focus on its global growth agenda”.

Gordon Knapp, vice chair and executive officer of Bridgestone Corporation and president, CEO and COO of Bridgestone Americas, will transition out of his executive roles, effective January 15, 2020.

Knapp will serve as a strategic adviser to the company until March 31, 2020, at which time he will retire. He has served as president and CEO of Bridgestone Americas since 2016.

Paolo Ferrari, currently executive VP, executive officer and global digital strategic officer of Bridgestone Corporation, and member of the board, CEO and president of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA (Bridgestone EMIA), and chairman of the Bridgestone Americas Board, will become president, CEO and COO of Bridgestone Americas, succeeding Knapp, effective January 15, 2020.

Masaaki Tsuya, currently the chairman, CEO and representative executive officer of Bridgestone Corporation, will assume the role of chairman of the Bridgestone Americas board.

Laurent Dartoux, vice president and officer of Bridgestone Corporation and member of the board, chief strategy and marketing officer and COO of Bridgestone EMIA, has been named president and CEO of Bridgestone EMIA effective January 15, 2020, succeeding Ferrari. He has also been promoted to VP and senior officer of Bridgestone Corporation, effective January 1, 2020.

Emilio Tiberio, VP and officer of Bridgestone Corporation and CTO of Bridgestone EMIA, has additionally been named COO of Bridgestone EMIA, succeeding Dartoux, effective January 15, 2020.