News - 2014

Bridgestone to Restructure International Tire Business Operations

Group strengthening management structures with one integrated strategic business unit　in China and Asia Pacific

2014/05/09

Tokyo (May 9, 2014) - Bridgestone Corporation announced today that the Bridgestone Group will restructure its tire operations in China and Asia Pacific. This initiative will be undertaken in order to "upgrade the global management structure," which is identified as one of the Group's priority issues in the Mid-Term Management Plan 2013 (2013MTP). Currently, tire operations in China and Asia Pacific are managed by separate strategic business units (SBUs)*. By integrating these two SBUs, the Group will make more effective use of management resources, which will enable it to further global management, enhance governance in emerging countries and respond more promptly to the rapid changes in the markets.

The overview of the changes is as follows:

1. Scope

(1) Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (BSAP), the regional head office for tire operations in Asia and Oceania, will expand its responsibility to include tire operation in China. BSAP will be reorganized as the head office (BSCAP) in charge for both BSAP and Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (BSCN), the current regional head office in China.

(2) With this reorganization, Directors of BSCAP will be assigned as follows. They are expected to optimize management on a global basis and strengthen corporate governance.

BSCAP Position	Name	Current Positions and Responsibilities as of May 9, 2014	From July 1
Member of the Board and CEO	Narumi Zaitsu	Senior Vice President and Member of the Board, Responsible for International Tire Business Operations, Bridgestone Corporation	(i)
Member of the Board and COO	Kunitoshi Takeda	Vice President and Officer, Asia Pacific, China, Middle East, Africa and Russia Tire Business Operations, Bridgestone Corporation	(ii)
Member of the Board	Shinichi Sato	Vice President and Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Seconded to Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. Member of the Board, President of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.; Concurrently Seconded to Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd. Member of the Board, Managing Director of Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd.	(iii)
Member of the Board	Gary Garfield	Vice President and Senior Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.	(i)
Member of the Board	Franco Annunziato	Vice President and Senior Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA	(i)
Member of the Board	Christine Karbowiak	Vice President and Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.	(i)

(i) They will concurrently serve as BSCAP board members effective of July 1, 2014.

(ii)New position and responsibility (effective from July 1, 2014):

Vice President and Officer of Bridgestone Corporation

Seconded to Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

Member of the Board and Chief Operating Officer of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

(iii) New position and responsibility (effective from July 1, 2014):

Vice President and Officer, Asia Pacific, China, Middle East, Africa and Russia Tire Business

Operations, Bridgestone Corporation

2. Effective from July 1, 2014.

The Bridgestone Group pursues its ultimate goals of becoming "a truly global company" and achieving "Dan-Totsu in all aspects of its business". The 2013MTP serves as a roadmap and process guide as the Group accelerates the pace of its management reforms and increases its focus on the strategic measures as outlined in the MTP.

*The Group established its original SBU system, which currently contains six regional tire SBUs and two product SBUs. Following this restructuring, there will be five regional tire SBUs - Japan, Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific (including China), and Middle East & Africa.

*The abbreviation will be changed to BSCAP from July 1, 2014. The company name remains unchanged.

1.Company name	:Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
2.Location	:Singapore
3.Representative	:Shinichi Sato (Effective from July 1, 2014, CEO will be Narumi Zaitsu and COO will be Kunitoshi Takeda)
4. Ownership	:Bridgestone Corporation - 100%
5.Establishment	:October, 2006
6.Number of employees	:100 employees (as of the end of 2013)

1.Company name	:Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., Ltd.
2.Location	:Shanghai, China
3.Representative	:Hirotaka Migita
4. Ownership	:Bridgestone Corporation - 100%
5.Establishment	:October, 2004
6. Number of employees	:431 employees (as of the end of 2013)

About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.