Toyo appoints new European boss

At the start of this year, Naoki Gonsui became president of Toyo Tire Europe and on 1 May he took on the additional role of president of the newly-created Toyo Tire Deutschland sales subsidiary. It was clear from the start that his main focus would be upon the restructuring of Toyo’s European organisation and establishing the new German sales subsidiary, yet it was assumed Gonsui would remain in his European roles following the successful completion of this task until the end of 2014. However Gonsui has now been unexpectedly recalled to Toyo’s headquarters in Japan, where new duties await him in the Planning department.

Gonsui’s successor as both president of Toyo Tire Europe and Toyo Tire Deutschland, and as general manager of Toyo’s Europe Business Unit, is someone with experience in both the global and European tyre markets. Tatsuo Mitsuhata, who was vice-president of Toyo Tire Europe between 2008 and 2011 before his appointment as president of Toyo Tire U.S.A. at the start of 2012, will head up Toyo’s European operations as of 1 July; Tomoshige Mizutani will take over as president of Toyo Tire U.S.A. the same day.