Falken Tyre Europe names new leader

Offenbach am Main, Germany – Falken Tyre Europe, subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), has appointed Hiroshi Hamada as its new managing director, chairman & CEO.

He will bring three decades of “industry expertise” to foster stronger collaboration across SRI's European operations to support the group's long-term growth strategy, said Falken 11 June.

Hamada joined SRI in 1992, then named the Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co.

In 2018, he became VP of SRI China and president of Dunlop Tire in the country. Since 2024, Hamada has been serving as SVP of SRI.

The appointment comes as SRI is intensifying its focus on a dual brand – Falken and Dunlop – strategy for growth.

“With Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ global expertise and Falken’s legacy of performance and innovation, we are uniquely positioned to strengthen our European operations,” said Hamada upon appointment.

Hamada will bring "invaluable insight" to the European growth of the brand, said Markus Boegner, managing director and president of Falken Tyre Europe.

“Working closely together, we will reinforce the brand’s partnerships, innovate across our product lines and uphold the trust of our customers," he concluded.