Bridgestone launches global management restructure

Tokyo – Bridgestone Corp. has announced a major reorganisation of its global management structure, based on a 19 Oct decision by the group’s board of directors.

Under the revamped global structure, the global management set-up will be divided into two entities: Bridgestone East and Bridgestone West, with effect from 1 Jan 2024.

The initiative is intended to support Bridgestone's strategy to improve earnings, increase resilience and enhance its ability to leverage new opportunities.

Bridgestone “will continue striving to boost corporate value based on the reinforcement of its new glocal [sic] managemjent structure,” said Shu Ishibashi, global CEO and representative executive officer, Bridgestone Corp.

Bridgestone East will include the Japan tire business’ diversified & exploratory business; global mining, industrial, construction and aviation tire solutions; and Asia-Pacific covering Asia-Pacific; China and India.

Bridgestone West will include Americas as well as Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Focused on “execution and delivering results,” Bridgestone’s management structure will be under the overall supervision of a global CEO and two joint global chief operating officers.

Bridgestone East will be led by Masahiro Higashi as the CEO, while Paolo Ferrari will take over as the CEO of Bridgestone West.

Concurrently, Higashi will hold the position of chief administration officer and Ferrari will serve as chief digital transformation officer.

There will also be 28 local management areas, helping the operations in terms of region, market characteristics and operations.

These will include Scott Damon, currently COO Bridgestone Americas, serving as group VP and president of Bridgestone West mobility solutions.

European CEO and president Laurent Dartoux will serve as group VP and president of EMEA, concurrently lead of sustainability.

European COO Emilio Tiberio will become group VP and chief technology officer of Bridgestone West.

Nobuyuki Tamura will take over the speciality tires unit and head of global OE, while Yuji Mochizuki will serve as tire production and internal manufacturing head of Bridgestone East.