Bridgestone announces Japan management changes

The remits of a number of the Bridgestone Corporation management team in Japan will alter from the end of March. Minoru Shimizu, currently senior vice-president and senior officer responsible for Bridgestone’s Japan Tire Business, chief executive officer of its Japan Tire strategic business unit and chairman of Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd., will hand over the last of these roles to Masahiro Isobe.

In addition to becoming chairman of Bridgestone Tire Japan Co., Ltd., Isobe will take over as vice-president and senior officer responsible for Japan Tire Sales and as vice-chair of the Japan Tire strategic business unit. He relinquishes the roles of vice-president of Original Equipment Tire Sales Japan, director of OE Tire Sales Japan Division I and as assistant to the vice-president of Global Original Equipment Strategy.

The titles Isobe is handing over at the end of March go to Keita Ide. Giving up his current position as vice-president of Consumer Tire Development, Ide will become vice-president of Original Equipment Tire Sales Japan, director of OE Tire Sales Japan Division I and as assistant to the vice-president of Global Original Equipment Strategy.

Ide’s current role of Consumer Tire Development will become the remit of Akio Kusano, who will concurrently continue to serve as director, Tire Development Division II.