Bridgestone Americas overhauls executive team

Nashville, Tennessee – Bridgestone Americas Inc. has made a series of upper-level executive changes as part of its strategy to strengthen its core tire business and accelerate its initiative to become a “global leader” in mobility solutions.

Effective 16 March, the changes involve Riccardo Cichi, currently chief sales officer for Bridgestone Europe, Middle East, India & Africa; Eric Higgs, currently president of truck, bus and retread tires of Bridgestone Americas; and Chris Ripani, currently president of GCR Tires & Service of Bridgestone Americas, the company announced 6 March.

Cichi has been named president and chief sales officer, North America, a newly created role that will consolidated sales organisation for the consumer replacement and commercial truck, bus and retread tire businesses in the US and Canada.

Higgs was has been named SVP of marketing operations, also a new position. 

In this role, Higgs will be tasked with helping shape the future of Bridgestone Americas' tire and solutions business and create synergies between the marketing and sales organisations, the tire maker noted.

Chris Ripani will succeed Higgs as president of truck, bus and retread tires and GCR. He will report to Cichi. 

Brian Goldstine, SVP of fleet management solutions for the commercial tire business, will take on the expanded role of president of mobility solutions and fleet management for Bridgestone Americas.

These moves build upon leadership changes that Bridgestone disclosed in late January, and is aimed to “better align” resources to global and local objectives while prioritising higher growth opportunities.

Among those affected by the global changes was Gabriel Asbun, CEO and chief operating officer of Bridgestone Asia Pacific, who was named to take over as Americas Tire group president, effective at the end of March.

"These strategic leadership changes will enable Bridgestone to continue to successfully meet the needs of our customers in a dynamic and changing world," according to Paolo Ferrari, who took up the role of president, CEO and COO of Bridgestone Americas in January.