Bridgestone names Ferrari as senior VP in major reshuffle
5 Sep 2017
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Brussels - Bridgestone Corp. is set to launch a number of management changes in January 2018 which will see current CEO of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA, Paolo Ferrari, being promoted to senior vice president and executive officer at the company.
In a statement on 4 Sept, the Japanese tire company said Eduardo Minardi, executive VP, executive chairman of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA and chairman of Bridgestone Americas, Inc was stepping down from his position as of 1 Jan 2018, to take the role of senior advisor to the EMEA president and CEO, Ferrari.
Parts of Minardi’s duties will be taken over by current Bridgestone Europe CEO Paolo Ferrari, who will be promoted to senior VP and chairman of Bridgestone Americas and will also become a member of the executive board.
He joined the company from Italian rival Pirelli, where he held various management roles in North America, Europe and Latin America. Most recently, he was CEO of the Italian tire maker’s LATAM division.
Another senior appointment which will come into effect on 1 Jan 2018, is the promotion of Gordon Knapp, CEO and president of Bridgestone Americas, to senior VP and executive officer.
Additionally, Thomas Higgins who heads Bridgestone's US & Canada consumer tire sales division has been appointed as the chairman of Bridgestone Europe.
Minardi joined Bridgestone Firestone Argentina in 1989 and has held a number of executive and management positions within the tire company. He has held the position of executive chairman of Bridgestone Europe since March 2014.
Also stepping down from his duties is Franco Annunziato, senior VP and chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, who will return to Europe and will be VP and senior advisor to Ferrari.
Mitsuhira Shimazaki, who served as the deputy chairman of Bridgestone Asia Pacific will take over the Annunziato’s position, while Yves Kerstens has been promoted to CEO of Bridgestone China Asia Pacific.
Annunziato has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rome University “La Sapienza” and is specialised in transport and infrastructure technology.
He joined Bridgestone Technical Center Europe SpA as an engineer in November 1982 and has held a number of high-ranking positions within the company.
In January 2016, he was appointed as chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
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