Michelin head of environment awarded OBE
Paul Kinkead, Head of Environment and Protection at Michelin’s truck tyre plant in Ballymena, has been awarded an OBE in The New Year’s Honours List for services to environmental protection in Northern Ireland. A past pupil of Royal School Dungannon and a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast, Paul Kinkead is a Chartered Chemical Engineer and has worked at Michelin’s Ballymena site since 1986. In 2011, he was appointed to the senior management team with specific responsibility for managing the Environment and Protection Department for the site. He is also the Michelin UK Country Manager for Industrial Hygiene and Chemical Safety.
Continue ReadingYokohama announces personnel changes
At its board of directors meeting on 27 December, Yokohama Rubber approved a number of changes in responsibility for senior management. These changes entered effect on 1 January. Kinya Kawakami, Yokohama’s director and managing corporate officer, has taken over from Toshiyuki Nishida as general manager of the company’s Hiratsuka factory. In other change that took effect 1 January, Sinichi Suzuki, who is president of the company’s Yokohama R.P.Z. L.L.C. tyre plant in Russia, is no longer general manager of the Russia Tire Plant division.
Continue ReadingKumho names new OE, domestic replacement head
After four years as president of Kumho Tire North America, J.B. Kim is to return to Korea and head up the company’s original equipment sales division and Korean market replacement sales division. The position left vacant by Kim in the US will be filled by Hai Eok "Harry" Choi.
Continue ReadingAre Nokian earnings losing traction?
In the run-up to Nokian’s publication of fourth quarter financial results, some financial analysts are asking if the Finnish company’s earnings are losing traction. The reason is said to be that “decelerating Russian sales and an unexciting European winter tyre season are a recipe for disappointment”.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Americas announces new human resources boss
On 14 December Bridgestone Americas gave word of its recent appointment of a new head of Human Resources. Darrin Rohr was appointed to the role of chief human resource officer, effective 26 November. He succeeds Patti James in this position; James now serves as Bridgestone America’s president of Shared Services, a post she accepted earlier this year.
Continue ReadingNexen Europe appoints Joo Ho Song as president
Nexen Tyre Europe GmbH has appointed Joo Ho Song as its new president. Song has reportedly already started carrying out “a comprehensive package of measures, focusing on Nexen’s ambitious goals in Europe and implementing relevant strategies quickly.” The measures include increasing personnel at the European headquarters in Eschborn.
Continue ReadingHankook names new China, America heads
Hankook Tire is tweaking its global management team. Soo Il Lee, who is currently president of Hankook Tire America, will as of 1 January take on the position of president and COO of Hankook’s China regional headquarters. The person he’s replacing, Byeong Jin Lee, has been appointed Soo Il Lee’s successor in the US-based position.
Continue ReadingNew SMMT Aftermarket Development Manager
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Wendy Williamson as Aftermarket Development Manager. She brings a wealth of experience in the aftermarket sector and will take control of SMMT activities from the end of the year when SMMT's current aftermarket expert, Bob Davis, retires.
Continue ReadingOrganisational changes planned for Goodyear Dunlop’s ‘D-A-CH’ region
Goodyear Dunlop has announced organisational changes in its ‘German-speaking’ markets. As of 1 February 2013 changes will occur in the leadership structure of the so-called “D-A-CH cluster” (Germany, Austria and Switzerland cluster), the business formed at the start of 2012 from the three respective national operations. The tyre maker says a key element of this will involve the creation of an integrated consumer replacement segment sales and marketing organisation under the leadership of Frank Titz, who is currently director of the D-A-CH consumer replacement business. In his new role, Titz will coordinate the tyre maker’s entire sales and marketing activities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As before, Titz will report to Dr. Rainer Landwehr, group managing director for the three countries.
Continue ReadingMAM's new product manager
MAM Software has appointed Lee Cunningham to the position of senior product manager. In this newly created role, he will provide technical support to MAM's sales department and will be responsible for shaping MAM's product development strategy.
Continue ReadingNew Austrian marketing manager at Goodyear Dunlop
Christian Halbertschlager has been appointed marketing manager at Goodyear Dunlop Tires Austria. In his new role, Halbertschlager takes on responsibility for all consumer marketing activities in the Austrian market. Commenting on the appointment, Goodyear Dunlop Tires Austria managing director Tassilo Rodlauer said: “We are pleased to be able to welcome a marketing communications expert to our ranks, and we wish him every success in his new position.”
Continue ReadingNew head for bodyshop association
Frank Harvey has been appointed Head of the RMI’s National Association of Bodyshops (NAB) with effect from January 2013. Frank Harvey has worked within the body repair sector for the majority of his working life. After starting his career as a coachbuilder he moved on to become a Staff Engineer at a number of leading motor insurers. He went on to become Group Operations Director of the Karl Vella Group where he oversaw a number of Bodyshop operations. He specialises in training and support for the body repair industry; skills that will prove extremely beneficial in his new role.
Continue ReadingMarchionne continues as ACEA President
The Board of Directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) have elected Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat S.p.A., as the association's President for 2013 - his second consecutive term heading the association.
Continue ReadingKwik Fit director of communications elected NTDA VC
The National Tyre Distributers Association (NTDA) has elected Roger Griggs, director of communications at Kwik Fit, to the role of vice chairman, working with Stephen Callow, who succeeded Kwik Fit’s David White as NTDA chairman in March 2012. Griggs has spent 34 years in the tyre industry, starting in a Jersey tyre centre in the late 1970s. Richard Edy, director of the NTDA, says: “We are delighted that Roger has joined the board. His experience in all areas of the industry means he has a great deal to offer and we look forward to supporting him in developing future campaigns.”
Continue ReadingJohn McGlade elected to Goodyear Board
The Board of Directors at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company now has 12 members following the election of John E. McGlade. When not sitting on Goodyear’s board, McGlade is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
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