Nokian launching new operational model

Nokia, Finland – Nokian Tyres is launching a new leadership and operational model to support growth and innovation in the future.

The Finnish tire maker announced 4 Dec that with the changes, effective 1 Jan 2018, it will be creating “a scalable structure” to increase efficiency.

Throughout the change, the company’s business unit structure – Passenger Car Tyres, Heavy Tyres and distribution unit Vianor – will remain unchanged.

Additionally, a new “Products and Technologies” unit will be created to increase competitive product offering in all key markets.

Through this unit, Nokian will target innovation in both product offerings and solutions.

Product management and product development will also be transferred to the new unit.

From the beginning of the year, the Passenger Car Tyres unit will be managed from a “market and product line perspectives”, with four business areas.

Three regional business areas will include:

Americas (US, Canada and Central and South America);

Europe (Nordic countries and the rest of Europe) and

Russia and Asia (Russia, China, Japan and the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia).

“With our new leadership and operational model, we will have more management focus on our main markets,” said Hille Korhonen, president and CEO of Nokian Tyres commenting on the new structure.

According to Korhonen, the changes will increase cross-unit and international cooperation within the Finnish tire maker.

“The change strengthens our ability to react quickly to market changes and customer needs,” she added.

Nokian Tyres’ management team from 1 Jan 2018 will include president and CEO Hille Korhonen; executive vice president, Russia and Asia Andrei Pantioukhov; head of Europe business area Pontus Stenberg; head of Americas business area Tommi Heinonen and head of products and technologies unit Pontus Stenberg.

Manu Salmi will also head Nokian Heavy Tyres business unit while Anna Hyvönen will lead the Vianor business unit.