Goodyear MEA appoints Afaneh commercial tyre business director

Goodyear has appointed Hamzeh Afaneh as director of its commercial tyre business in the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Afaneh has spent almost sixteen years in the tyre business, occupying a series of sales and business development roles based in Jordan and the UAE with Bridgestone, Continental and most recently Goodyear as commercial regional manager in early 2021.

He led Goodyear’s team for the Gulf Cooperations Council (GCC) and near East regions, growing commercial tyre sales and delivering tailored digital solutions to customers. He was the recipient of Goodyear’s Chairman’s Award in 2022. Announcing his appointment, the company notes his experience of brand marketing, sales and business development across the region.

Afaneh will assume responsibility for developing the strategy to support the digital transformation in the commercial tyre business and leading the implementation of initiatives aimed at growing the company’s commercial portfolio reach across the region.

Afaneh said: “I look forward to working closely with our partners to deliver on the Goodyear promise of high quality and dependable commercial tyres for our customers. I also look forward to play an active role in supporting the digital transformation of the region’s commercial tyre industry.”

Khaled Arafa, general manager for MEA at Goodyear said: “Hamzeh has a wealth of experience in the MEA tyre industry and his understanding of the region will ensure that we continue to deliver value to our partners, customers and stakeholders.”

Afaneh received a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from The Hashemite University, Jordan, and latterly an MBA from The University of Manchester in 2020.

Afaneh’s appointment comes as Goodyear announces its 5 per cent staff cuts will fall harder on its European operations than in other regions in reaction to its 2022 financial reports. Structurally linked to the Middle East and Africa in the EMEA business region, which is headquartered in Europe, it remains to be seen whether the cuts will increase the influence of the Middle East and Africa portion of the region within Goodyear.