Yokohama Rubber names new CEO in major management reshuffle

Hiratsuka, Japan – Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) has announced a number of senior management changes to come into effect after its general shareholders’ meeting on 28 March.

Under the changes, current president and chairman of the board Masataka Yamaishi will take over as chairman & CEO and chairman of the board.

Chief technical and production officer, Shinji Seimiya will then assume the role of president & COO, covering engineering/production/quality assurance/IT as well as the regions of Japan, China, and Asia.

Senior officer Nitin Mantri will be named as co-COO for the Japanese group's off-highway tire (OHT) business and overseas.

Mantri is currently head of OHT division, CEO of Yokohama Off-Highway Tires, chairman of Yokohama India, chairman of Yokohama Tyre Vietnam and in charge of Yokohama Europe.

As previously reported by ERJ, Yokohama Europe has now named former Pirelli executive Giovanni Angelo Ponzoni as new chief executive officer, to succeed Gregorio Borgo.

Under the new series of appointments, Borgo will take over as associate officer, consultant and acting president of Yokohama Europe GmbH.

The changes also include top management adjustments in Asia, with managing officer Tadaharu Yamamoto, currently ‘assistant to president and head of tire logistics’ taking over certain key responsibilities in Asia.

Yamamoto will take over as managing officer, president Of Yokohama Asia, chairman of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand), chairman of Yokohama Tire Sales (Thailand), chairman of Yokohama Tyre Sales Malaysia and chairman of Yokohama Tire Sales Philippines.

Meanwhile, head of tire production division Tetsuya Nagao will assume responsibility for YRC's tire logistics division.