Dunlop Aircraft Tyres appoints EMEA general sales manager
Birmingham aviation tyre manufacturer Dunlop Aircraft Tyres expanded its team earlier in the year with the appointment of Patrice Moreau as general sales manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Reporting to sales and marketing director David Skepper, Moreau joins with more than 19 years’ experience in commercial and business aviation.
The abrupt end of Elke Strathmann’s career at Continental AG was made public earlier this month, and the company announced today that Strathmann has already relinquished her seat on its Executive Board. Dr. Ariane Reinhart has been named as Continental’s new Executive Board member for human resources and director of labour relations.
Last November, Germany’s main political parties agreed in principle to the idea of requiring companies based in the country to allocate 30 per cent of their non-executive board seats to women as of 2016. The concept is yet to become law, however many German firms are implementing their own gender initiatives ahead of the possible introduction of such legislation. Continental AG is one such company, and when its new Supervisory Board met for the first time on 25 April, its numbers included three freshly-elected women. The presence of four female members on the 20-strong board means Continental has exceeded its target of having a Supervisory Board with 15 per cent women following the 2014 elections.
Tiresur International, a leading tyre distributor in Southern Europe, recently appointed Antonio Cortés as its new managing director for Spain. Tiresur is, amongst other things, GT Radial’s exclusive distributor in Spain and Portugal.
Neuheisel to head Continental’s new CV tyre marketing department
Continental has created a global marketing department for its commercial vehicle tyre business and appointed Michael Neuheisel to head it up. In his new role as director global marketing, Neuheisel reports directly to Commercial Vehicle Tires business unit head Dr. Andreas Esser. Neuheisel will coordinate marketing activities for the different regions and segments within the business unit. Continental says this new marketing structure will further strengthen its strategic focus on the truck and bus fleet business.
Pon Tyre Group has appointed Frits de Raad as managing director of Euro-Tyre. He will take up the position on 22 April 2014. De Raad succeeds Frank van Leeuwen, who has decided to pursue his career outside the Group, Pon stated.
11 year Falken Tire Corp veteran, sales vice president Bruce Ware has retired, completing a tyre industry career of more than 30 years, reports US magazine Tire Review. Current vice president of marketing, Andrew Hoit will move into Ware’s position.
Sailun appoints senior product marketing manager for Europe
Sailun Tyres has expanded its European team with the appointment of Michael Eckert as senior product marketing manager (Europe). Eckert has more than 18 years’ tyre industry experience that covers various roles at Michelin and, most recently, Hankook. These positions include a number of senior roles related to truck tyres, racing and motorsport teams and responsibility for original equipment.
Goodyear Dunlop’s former EMEA region president Arthur de Bok is now CEO and chairman of Dutch medical device company Mediq’s Management Board. He commenced in this role on 1 April. Announcing de Bok’s appointment, chairman of the company’s Supervisory Board, Rob ter Haar, commented that the board and management were “enthusiastic” about him taking the position. “We are convinced that Arthur, with his extensive experience, is the right person to help Mediq respond to this development and extend Mediq’s lead in this field,” he said.
Continental parting ways with human resources head
On numerous occasions German tyre maker and automotive supplier Continental has indicated its intention to increase the number of women holding senior positions within the company, therefore the contract renewal of human resources head Elke Strathmann – the first and currently only female member of Continental’s Executive Board – appeared a mere formality. Yet the company has allegedly decided against renewing her contract upon its expiry at the end of December.
Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres Plc has reorganised its board of directors. Details of the reshuffle were announced on 8 April following Nokian’s Annual General meeting. As a result of the move Petteri Walldén was elected chairman of the board. The board also elected Hille Korhonen, Hannu Penttilä and Petteri Walldén as members of the nomination and remuneration committee.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has announced that Autoparts group factor manager Craig McCracken has joined the IAAF Council. The IAAF Council is a voluntary group of senior aftermarket executives that come together regularly to debate industry issues and set IAAF policy.
The first of April saw the arrival of Wendy Williamson at the IAAF’s offices in Birmingham to take up her position as chief executive (designate). Wendy takes over from Brian Spratt, who is retiring at the end of June.
Former Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy has been appointed to the board of Blackcircles.com. Leahy has been a shareholder in the online tyre business for around six years and his stake in Blackcircles is now said to be 25 per cent. In his new role, Leahy will work with company founder and chief executive Mike Welch and chairman Graeme Bisset to identify and implement new means of financing ongoing growth within the business. One option that Leahy may be closely involved in is an IPO.
Stuart Jackson re-elected for third term as TyreSafe chairman
Stuart Jackson has been re-elected as the chairman of not-for-profit road safety campaign group TyreSafe. He enters his third term as the organisation’s head since 2010. “I’m honoured to have been re-elected by my colleagues to such a fantastic and worthwhile position,” comments Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe.
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