New corporate planning VP at Falken Tire

Falken Tire Corporation, the Japanese brand’s North American operation, recently promoted Ken Masaoka to the role of vice-president of corporate planning. Masaoka, who joined parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries in 1993, was previously Falken Tire’s director of corporate planning.

After graduating from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies with a degree in foreign studies, Masaoka joined Sumitomo’s Hybrid Rubber Products division in 1993 and worked in Kobe, Japan. He later transferred to SRIT (SRI Tire Trading) in Tokyo where he was responsible for overseeing sales for the East Asia region. After a year, Masaoka was promoted to manager of the North American region. He joined Falken Tire full-time as director of corporate planning in January 2012.    Tire Review