Nippon Goodyear names Kanahara president

Tokyo – Nippon Goodyear Ltd. has hired veteran tire industry executive Yujiro Kanahara to be president of the company.

Kanahara joins Goodyear following a 36-year career with Bridgestone Corp., where he served in executive leadership roles in Japan and key markets around the world prior to retiring from the company in 2014. IS << Nippon Goodyear sells domestically produced and imported Goodyear-brand tires in replacement and OE markets.

Until recently the company was part of the Goodyear-Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. global business alliance. According to his LinkedIn page, he was CEO of Bridgestone South Africa (Pty.) Ltd. from August 2012 to May 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dan Smytka, president of Goodyear’s Asia Pacific unit, said the addition of Kanahara’s experience and track record in building customer relationships “will help us capitalise on the significant opportunities to grow our presence in one of the world’s key automotive markets.”

Kanahara succeeds Dale Brackin, who served as interim president during the transition period since October, when the Akron tire maker re-acquired the Nippon Goodyear business.