News - 2020

Bridgestone announces changes to executive operation structure, senior management responsibilities and positions

2020/11/13

Tokyo (November 13, 2020) - Bridgestone Corporation announced today that it intends to implement the newly designed executive operation structure, senior management responsibility and positions as described below.

Change Highlight
The company is simplifying and reclassifying its executive operation structure from five to three layers in principle, composed of Senior Officer, Executive and Management. These changes take effect on January 1, 2021.

  • The company is eliminating the existing Executive-Officer-System and reclassifying the existing Vice President and Senior Officer positions into a Senior Officer position. The Senior Officer will serve as the head of each business / function and have global management responsibility.
  • The company is reclassifying the existing Corporate Officer position to Executive. These roles are responsible for building division strategy and execution.
  • The company is reducing the number of officers from 60 to 20.
  • The company is reducing the number of leader positions by 20%.

Bridgestone Corporation is adopting this new executive structure to accelerate decision-making and transform into a leaner organization.

Bridgestone Corporation has defined a vision of providing social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company toward 2050 and established its Mid-Long Term Business Strategy to serve as a guide in accomplishing this vision. The company moves forward with its unique HRX initiatives in order to maximize organization capability for execution of Mid-Long Term Business Strategy.

1. Changing Positions and Responsibilities of Executive Officers
(Effective January1, 2021)

NameNewFormer
Masato
BANNO
Senior Vice President and Executive
Officer,
Global Chief Technical Officer (Global
CTO)
Responsible for Technology, Quality
Management
Senior Vice President and Executive
Officer,
Global Chief Technical Officer (Global
CTO)
Responsible for Technology, Quality
Management;
Concurrently responsible for Products and
Technology Development

2.New Members of Vice President and Senior Officer
(Effective January1, 2021)

NameNewFormer
Hidekazu
KIMIZU
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Corporate Administration
Chief Compliance Officer
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Corporate Administration
Chief Compliance Officer, Legal Affairs
and Intellectual Property
Thomas
HIGGINS
Vice President and Senior Officer,
Global Chief Digital Strategic Officer
(Global CDSO), Global Chief Business
Strategic Officer (Global CBSO), and
Global Chief Sustainability Officer (Global
CSTO) of Bridgestone Corporation
Responsible for G Digital Strategy;
Concurrently responsible for G Business
Strategy;
Concurrently responsible for G Public
Relations, Government Relations and
Sustainability
BSAM Vice Chair of the Board
BSEMIA Supervisory Board Vice Chair
BSCAP Chair of the Board
BSJP Board Chair
Vice President and Senior Officer,
Global Chief Digital Strategic Officer
(Global CDSO), and Global Chief
Business Strategic Officer (Global CBSO)
of Bridgestone Corporation
Responsible for G Digital Strategy;
Concurrently responsible for G Business
Strategy;
BSAM Vice Chair of the Board
BSEMIA Supervisory Board Vice Chair
BSCAP Chair of the Board
BSJP Board Chair
Akira
MATSUDA
Vice President and Senior Officer, Chief
Quality Management Officer
Responsible for Quality Management
Vice President and Senior Officer, Chief
Quality Management Officer
Responsible for Quality Management
Kenji
YAMASAKI
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Manufacturing and
Production Engineering;
Concurrently Director, G Tire
Manufacturing Support Division
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Manufacturing and
Production Engineering
Tire Manufacturing and Production
Engineering
Yuzo
SHISEKI
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Tire Development,
Production Technology Development
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Tire Development,
Production Technology Developments
Commercial Tire Development
Tire Production Technology Development
Masahito
TSUJI
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Diversified Products
Solutions Business
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Diversified Products
Solutions Business
Makoto
HASHIMOTO
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for G-SCM, GProcurement,
Internal Manufacturing
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for G-SCM, Internal
Manufacturing Management and
Procurement
Yuji
MOCHIZUKI*
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Japan Tire Production
and Quality Management
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for Japan Tire Production
and Quality Management
Japan Tire Quality Management and CQO
Tomohiro
KUSANO
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for G-MICAA (Mining,
Industrial, Construction, Agriculture,
Aviation) Solutions Business
Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for G-MICAA (Mining,
Industrial, Construction, Agriculture,
Aviation) Solutions Business
Gabriel
ASBUN
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSAM Member of the Board, Group
President, Americas Tire.
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSAM Member of the Board, Group
President, Americas Tire.
Christopher
NICASTRO
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal
Officer, General Counsel, Secretary and
Chief Compliance Officer, Bridgestone
Americas, Inc.
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal
Officer, General Counsel, Secretary and
Chief Compliance Officer, Bridgestone
Americas, Inc.
Scott
DAMON
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSAM Member of the Board, Group
President, Operations.
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSAM Member of the Board, Group
President, Operations.
Laurent
DARTOUX
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSEMIA Management Board Chair, CEO
and President
Vice President and Senior Officer of
Bridgestone Corporation
BSEMIA Management Board Chair, CEO
and President
Yoshikazu
SHIDA
Vice President and Senior Officer
Seconded to Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte.
Ltd.
BSCAP Member of the Board, CEO
Chairman of Bridgestone (China)
Investment Co., Ltd.
Vice President and Senior Officer
Seconded to Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte.
Ltd.
BSCAP Member of the Board, CEO and
COO
Chairman of Bridgestone (China)
Investment Co., Ltd.

* Position is changed from that announced on October27,2020.

3.Retiring Members of Corporate Officers
(Effective January1, 2021)

NameNewFormer
Asahiko
NISHIYAMA
External Advisor Vice President and Officer
Seconded to Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
BSAM Vice Chair of the Board
Keita
IDE
External Advisor Vice President and Senior Officer
Responsible for G-CEO Office
Corporate Strategy
Mitsuhira
SHIMAZAKI
Vice President and Officer
Brand, Olympics and Paralympics

* Those listed above are retiring from the position of Corporate Officer of Bridgestone Corporation on December 31, 2020.