BBS appoints Markus Wartosch as global head of sales and marketing
While production has now resumed at BBS’s Schiltach and Herbolzheim wheel plants, the crisis and the wheel manufacturer’s adapted 50th-anniversary celebrations have given Markus Wartosch a tricky start as the newly appointed global head of sales and marketing at BBS. He is supported in this role by Erwin Eigel, who continues as Head of the IAM division at BBS.
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Toni Silfverberg joings Nokian Tyres management team
Toni Silfverberg has been appointed to lead Nokian Tyres’ new Marketing & Sales Excellence team starting 1 June 2020. Silfverberg will be a member of Nokian Tyres management team and report to Jukka Kasi, SVP products and marketing. Toni Silfverberg moves to the position from Nokian Heavy Tyres, where he has been leading sales and marketing globally. Previously Silfverberg has worked in international companies like H+H International A/S and Inion Oy, where he had leading roles in sales and marketing, finance and ICT.
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Melett strengthens team with marketing appointment
Aftermarket parts supplier Melett has welcomed Gareth Flower to its marketing team who will provide maternity cover for Victoria MacMillan. Flower has more than 25 years’ experience, having begun his career in the garage equipment sector at Hofmann Balancing Techniques in the early 1990s. He moved to MAM software in 2000 for 20 years, progressing to marketing manager. Flower will take the position as interim channel marketing manager and will continue to implement Melett’s strategy to strengthen its reputation as a leading supplier of precision-engineered turbochargers and parts.
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New KPMG Mobility senior appointments
KPMG has appointed Dr Sarah Owen-Vandersluis as its UK head of future mobility, and Edwin Kemp as UK head of automotive strategy. Commenting on future mobility, Owen-Vandersluis said changes would continue to accelerate, even with the effects of COVID-19. She believes that the pandemic “will accelerate previous trends towards digitisation, customer-centricity and zero-carbon.”
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Sailun Europe appoints Gareth Passmore senior vice president
Sailun Group has appointed Gareth Passmore as senior vice president (PCR and TBR Tyres). The manufacturer states that his appointment is designed to strengthen the company’s management team in Europe, aligned with its objective of growing its European market share. Passmore is making his return to Sailun having previously served as president of Sailun Jinyu International in 2016-17. Fluent in several languages, Passmore has previously held a number of international focused roles with Falken, Apollo, and Continental.
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Bridgestone appoints Higashi COO
As of 1 July, Masahiro Higashi will become Bridgestone Corporation’s global chief operating officer. He will succeed Akihiro Eto in this role following Eto’s retirement as COO and as representative executive officer on 30 June. Higashi also will hold the office of chief administration officer and become president and chief executive officer of BSJP, Bridgestone’s tyre and diversified products business in Japan.
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Jeff Ward becomes Kenda brand ambassador
Kenda has signed up Jeff Ward as its latest brand ambassador. The British-American multi-time AMA Motocross, Supercross, Supermoto champion, 7-time international MX des Nations champion, X Games gold medallist and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee joins Motocross Hall of Famer and X Games Gold Medallist Doug Henry in this role.
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Autogem appoints business development manager
Autogem has appointed a new specialist business development manager to complement its range of industry leading aftermarket products. Adam Livett brings 23 years of main vehicle dealer experience to the new role and is already pledging to “fulfil customers’ needs and look after them”, rather than simply sell them products alone.
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Paul Heard appointed CEO of SMMT Industry Forum
Paul Heard has been appointed the new Chief Executive of SMMT Industry Forum. Heard was formerly President of Automotive Tier 1 supplier Futaba UK and has worked for more than 20 years in management and consultancy roles at companies including EV Cargo, QT Consulting, Futaba subsidiaries and Tenneco Automotive. He has a track record of leading multi-million pound businesses within complex supply chain ecosystems and a wealth of experience delivering successful business transformation programmes across multiple sectors.
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KPMG appoints Andrew Burn to lead Automotive practice
Professional services firm, KPMG, has appointed Andrew Burn as UK head of Automotive with immediate effect. Burn is a partner within the firm’s restructuring practice and has over 25 years of experience in guiding clients through challenging situations. He has provided company side restructuring advice across the public and private sectors, as well as to privately owned and private equity-backed companies and PLCs. Over the last ten years, he has worked extensively with clients in the automotive sector across the UK and Europe, advising on various areas including supply chain risk management. He succeeds Justin Benson who has left the firm to pursue a new opportunity.
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Goodyear names Zamarro VP of Finance & treasurer
Christina Zamarro has been appointed Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s vice president of Finance and treasurer. She succeeds Peter R. Rapin, who steps down from the role tomorrow ahead of his retirement on 1 October 2020. In her new role, Zamarro reports to Darren R. Wells, the tyre maker’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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IGA requests enhanced furlough scheme from chancellor
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has requested an enhancement to the furlough scheme. It wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, to request an alteration to the current scheme enabling employees to return to work partially as the country prepares for the next phase of lockdown restrictions.
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