News - 2018

Senior Management Changes

2018/12/13

Tokyo (December 13, 2016) - Bridgestone Corporation today announced the following changes in Executive Officers and Corporate Officers.

1. Retiring Member of Executive Officers
(December 31, 2018)

Name	New	Former
Kazuhisa NISHIGAI	Member of the Board	Member of the Board COO and Representative Executive Officer Concurrently Chief Technology Officer Responsible for Technology

2. New Members of Executive Officers
(January 1, 2019)

Name	New	Former
Christine KARBOWIAK	Executive Vice President and Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Responsible for Global Public Relations, Government Relations and Sustainability Deputy Chair, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.	Vice President and Senior Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Deputy Chair, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Masato BANNO	Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer Responsible for Technology, Quality Management; Concurrently responsible for Products and Technology Development	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Products Development Next Generation Product Technology Development Concurrently General Manager, Design Structure Control
Masahiro HIGASHI	Senior Vice President and Executive Officer Responsible for MAA（Mining, Aircraft, Agriculture）& Diversified Products Solutions Business	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Diversified Products Business Diversified Products Production

3. Changing Positions and Responsibilities of Executive Officers
(January 1, 2019)

Name	New	Former
Akihiro ETO	COO, Representative Executive Officer and President	Executive Vice President and Executive Officer Responsible for Japan Tire SBU; Concurrently responsible for Group Strategy Planning Chief Financial Officer Finance
Shuichi ISHIBASHI	Vice Chair and Representative Executive Officer Responsible for GBS(Global Business Support) Concurrently responsible for Technology and Quality Management Concurrently responsible for Global Original Equipment and Marketing Strategy Concurrently responsible for Olympics・Paralympics, Sports・Cycle & Active Healthy Lifestyle Concurrently Executive Chair of Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.; Concurrently Executive Chair of Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd.	Executive Vice President and Executive Officer Chief Quality Management Officer Responsible for Quality Management; Concurrently responsible for Global Original Equipment and Global Business Strategy; Concurrently responsible for Global Solutions Business and Diversified Products; Concurrently responsible for Global Solutions Business
Gordon KNAPP	Vice Chair and Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.	Senior Vice President and Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Paolo FERRARI	Executive Vice President and Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA Chairman of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.	Senior Vice President and Executive Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Member of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA Chairman of Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

4. New Members of Corporate Officers
(January 1, 2019)

Name	New	Former
Akira MASUNAGA	Vice President and Officer, Chief Digital Officer Digital Technology, IT; Concurrently Director, Digital Solution Division	Director, Digital Strategy Planning Division
Naoki HISHINUMA	Vice President and Officer, Chief Financial Officer Finance; Concurrently Director, Finance Division; Concurrently General Manager, Headquarters Treasury Department	Director, Finance Division; Concurrently General Manager, Headquarters Treasury Department
Makoto ISHIYAMA	Vice President and Officer Next Generation Technology Development; Concurrently Director, Next Generation Technology Development Division Concurrently Director, Next Generation Production Engineering Development Division	Director, Next Generation Product Technology Development Division
Junya ONO	Vice President and Officer Tire Operation Management and Service; Concurrently Director, International Business Operations Division	Director, International Business Operations Division
Minoru ISODA	Vice President and Officer Internal Manufacturing Management and Procurement, CQO Internal Manufacturing Management	Director, Procurement Division
Satoru KUSANO	Vice President and Officer Diversified Products Production; Concurrently Director, Diversified Products Production Division	Director, Diversified Products Production Division
Hiroshi HARASHIMA	Vice President and Officer Diversified Products Development and Production Technology; Concurrently Director, Diversified Products Base & Advanced Technology Development Division	Director, Diversified Products Production Innovation Promotion Division Concurrently General Manager, Quality Control Innovation Department Concurrently General Manager, Production Innovation Department

5. Changing Positions and Responsibilities of Corporate Officers
(January 1, 2019)

Name	New	Former
Minoru SHIMIZU	Senior Vice President and Senior Officer Assistant to COO, Representative Executive Officer and President	Senior Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Japan Tire Business
Thomas HIGGINS	Vice President and Senior Officer, Chief Strategic Officer of Bridgestone Corporation Responsible for Global Strategy President, US & Canada Consumer Tire Sales Division of Bridgestone Americas, Inc. Chairman of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA	Vice President and Senior Officer of Bridgestone Corporation President, US & Canada Consumer Tire Sales Division of Bridgestone Americas, Inc. Chairman of Bridgestone Europe NV/SA
Hidekazu KIMIZU	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Corporate Administration Chief Compliance Officer, Legal Affairs and Intellectual Property	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Corporate Planning; Concurrently responsible for Corporate Administration Chief Compliance Officer, Legal Affairs and Intellectual Property Chief Information Officer IT & Network
Hideki KOMATSU	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Nest Lab.	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Business Development Planning
Yoshihiko ICHIKAWA	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Global Original Equipment Strategy Global Original Equipment Strategy	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Global Original Equipment; Global Original Equipment Strategy
Akira MATSUDA	Vice President and Senior Officer, Chief Quality Management Officer Responsible for Quality Management	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Basic Technology Development
Yuzo SHISEKI	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Tire Development, Production Technology Development	Vice President and Officer Quality Promotion
Masashi OHARA	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Core Technology Development	Vice President and Senior Officer Chief Quality Officer, Responsible for Safety, Disaster Prevention and Environment
Yukihiko HOSO	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Production Engineering	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Production Technology
Masahiro ISOBE	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Japan Tire Business; Concurrently Chairman of Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd.	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Japan Tire Sales; Concurrently Chairman of Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd.
Tomohiro KUSANO	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Diversified Products Solutions Business	Vice President and Officer Diversified Products Development and Production Technology; Concurrently Director, Diversified Products Development Division Ⅰ
Naohisa YODA	Vice President and Senior Officer Responsible for Supply Chain Enhancement; Concurrently Director, Supply Chain Enhancement Business Planning and Administration Division	Vice President and Officer Internal Manufacturing Management and Procurement, Chief Quality Officer, Internal Manufacturing Management
Masayuki ISHII	Vice President and Officer, Corporate Planning Chief Risk Officer, Chief Human Rights Officer Human Resources and General Affairs Concurrently Director, Corporate Planning Division	Vice President and Officer Corporate Planning Chief Risk Officer, Chief Human Rights Officer Human Resources and General Affairs Public Relations and Brand Strategy; Concurrently Director, Corporate Planning Division
Jun SUGIHARA	Vice President and Officer Quality Management Promotion Safety, Disaster Prevention and Environmental Promotion Concurrently Director, Quality Management Qualification and Audit, Governance Division	Vice President and Officer Safety, Disaster Prevention and Environmental Promotion; Concurrently Director, Safety, Disaster Prevention and Environmental Promotion Division
Sho INOUE	Vice President and Officer, Chief Quality Officer Quality Promotion	Vice President and Officer Quality Management Promotion; Concurrently Director, Quality Management Qualification and Audit, Governance Division; Concurrently General Manager, Quality Management Governance Office
Kenji YAMASAKI	Vice President and Officer Tire Production Technology Development	Vice President and Officer Production Technology Strategy
Teruo KUNITAKE	Vice President and Officer Production Engineering; Concurrently Director, Tire Process Platform System Engineering Division Concurrently Director, Consumer Tire System Engineering Division	Vice President and Officer Tire Process Systems Development; Concurrently Director, Tire Process Technology Platform Development Division
Yasuyuki TAMURA	Vice President and Officer Advanced Technology	Vice President and Officer Advanced Technology Development
Hiroshi YOSHIMORI	Vice President and Officer MAA（Mining, Aircraft, Agriculture） Solutions Business	Vice President and Officer Global Solutions Business;
Mahito FUJI	Vice President and Officer MAA（Mining, Aircraft, Agriculture） Solutions Production & Administration, CQO	Vice President and Officer Global Solutions Production, Administration and Chief Quality Officer

6. Retiring Members of Corporate Officers
(January 1, 2019)

Name	New	Former
Yukio SAEGUSA	Fellow Assistant to Vice President and Officer, Chief Digital Officer Digital Technology, IT	Vice President and Officer Chief Digital Officer and Digital Technology; Concurrently Director, Digital Solution
Shinichi HANASHI	Vice President Assistant to Vice President and Senior Officer Supply Chain Enhancement	Vice President and Officer Tire Operation Management and Service; Concurrently Director, Tire Operation Management and Service Planning and Administration Division

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.