Bridgestone Australia Appoints New Chair and CEO
Shojiro Hara has been named the new chairman and chief executive officer of Bridgestone Australia. Currently the managing director of Bridgestone Asia Pacific in Singapore, Hara will take up the new role in October.
Continue ReadingTony Neill New Axle Group CEO
Axle Group has promoted Tony Neill to the position of chief executive officer for the group which includes, National Tyres and Autocare, and sister companies, National Fleet and Viking International. Neill will assume overall responsibility for the strategic direction of all group trading companies. Neill has been with the company for 25 years, previously in the position of CEO for National Tyres and Autocare, before which he was retail director for a number of years. Alan Revie, Axle Group Chairman, commented: “I am delighted to congratulate Tony on his new role. Tony’s vision and depth of experience will be fundamental in driving the company forward.”
Continue ReadingFormer Hayes Lemmerz CEO, CFO Found Liable for Securities Fraud
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that on August 20 a federal duty found former Hayes Lemmerz International CEO Ranko Cucuz and former CFO William D. Shovers liable for securities fraud charges against the SEC. The verdict followed a two-week jury trial in Detroit, Michigan.
Continue ReadingLive by the Sword, Die by the Sword
In July those at Continental AG learnt what it feels like to be victims of their own success. Only a year after it multiplied group annual sales to over 25 billion euros through the acquisition of Siemens VDO, it appears Continental has made itself so attractive to bearing maker Schaeffler Group that the privately held company (which is about a third of Conti’s size) stalked its way to controlling roughly 36 per cent of the tyre and automotive supplier (see August's Tyres & Accessories for full coverage). On the one hand this is a compliment to the leadership that has brought Continental to where it is today. But on the other hand it comes as stark warning that stock markets can be fickle and public ownership can leave you at the mercy of shareholders. Furthermore, it could be argued that leveraging itself and courting the stockmarkets in order to achieve its ambitious goals has been a double-edged sword – and in July Conti’s management felt the sting of its own blade. In the last few years Continental has been on something of corporate shopping trip. The biggest single purchase by some way was the acquisition of Siemens, announced in July 2007. This move was perhaps the biggest step towards Conti’s vision of a “new Continental,” which would produce cutting edge tyre to brake automotive technology.
Continue ReadingFormer Pirelli NA CEO Calls for Change
Guy Mannino, former president and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America, is calling on all retired and current CEOs of corporate America to start driving “green.” “Now is the time … to take action and proclaim our independence from oil and gas,” he said. “Now is the time for electric vehicles that lower fuel costs, as well as combat pollution and global warming.” Mannino, who left Pirelli last autumn to found consulting and trading company Verdek, is marketing and selling a line of ZAP (“Zero Air Pollution”) vehicles with the goal of helping consumers to become more fuel-efficient. ZAP, based in Santa Rosa, California, offers a full line of Xebra electric cars and trucks, Zapino scooters and off-road vehicles, as well as charging accessories. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingRMA Names New President And CEO
Charles Cannon was named president and CEO of RMA, a role he has held on an interim basis since February. Cannon got his start in Washington on the staff of the House Appropriations Committee, followed by several years with D.C.-based United Technologies. He has managed Cannon Consultants Inc. for the last 20 years. He earned his PhD from Stanford University, an MA from Rice University, and a BA from Columbia University. “I am looking forward to working with RMAs members to address the many challenging issues facing this industry, Cannon said. “This is a unique and exhilarating opportunity for me and I am thrilled at the prospect of continuing to work with an industry with such a long and distinguished history.” (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingConti Teves NA President & CEO Kozyra Resigns
The president and CEO of Continental Teves North America, William L. Kozyra, has elected to leave the company as of June 1, 2008. Mr. Kozyra’s request to terminate his contract and appointment to the company’s Executive Board early was accepted during a meeting of the Continental AG Supervisory Board on May 29. In a statement Continental says Mr. Kozyra will, following his resignation, “take up a new challenge in another company.” William Kozyra had been deputy member of the company’s Executive Board for the NAFTA region since February 2006. Amongst other roles, Kozyra was responsible for the integration of the Motorola Automotive activities into Continental. The Supervisory Board of Continental has expressed its thanks to Mr. Kozyra for all the work he has done during his ten years as president and CEO of Continental Teves North America and has wished him every success in his new assignment.
Continue ReadingFormer Senior BFNAT Exec Appointed CEO of ABC Supply
Former president and CEO of Bridgestone/Firestone Retail Operations and executive vice president of Bridgestone/Firestone in the US, David Luck, has taken on the position of CEO with ABC Supply Co. Luck assumed the position with the large American wholesaler of roofing, windows and building cladding following the sudden death of company founder, chairman and CEO Ken Hendricks last December. David Luck will also continue in his current capacity as company president, the role he has served in since 1998 following his retirement from the tyre major after 27 years.
Continue ReadingPCL-Sumo Appoints New CEO
PCL’s Indian joint venture (PCL-Sumo) has announced the appointment of Uday Bhaskar as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will lead the companys Mumbai-based team providing sales and support service for PCL’s tyre inflation and pneumatic products on the Indian marketplace. The alliance of PCL and Sumo Hi-Tech Marketing Pvt Ltd. has allowed Indian customers instant local access to a vast resource of experience, products, local training and international support, all delivered with an in-depth knowledge of the Indian market.
Continue ReadingToyo Names New President & CEO
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. of Osaka, Japan, has appointed Kenji Nakakura as the company’s new president and chief executive officer. Mr. Nakakura will also serve as Representative Director for the company and will continue to serve as a member of the board. He will assume all responsibilities effective 1 January, 2008. Mr. Nakakura has previously served as a managing executive officer for the company and president of Toyo’s DiverTech business prior to this appointment. DiverTech manages and oversees both chemical and industrial products as well as an automotive parts division for the company. Mr. Nakakura replaces Yoshio Kataoka, who will become advisor to the president and will continue serving as a member of the board.
Continue ReadingTitan CEO Taylor on Trial for Slander
(Tire Review) The chairman and CEO of Titan Tire parent company Titan International Inc., Maurice M. Taylor Jr., is a defendant in a slander trial that began December 3 in the U.S. District Court in Des Moines, Iowa. About 20 former and current Titan employees allege they were slandered when Taylor, at a news conference in 2000, falsely accused them of filing fraudulent worker compensation claims as part of union tactics during a long United Steelworkers strike at Titans agricultural tyre plant in Des Moines.
Continue ReadingTransense CEO and Chairman Step Down
Jim Perry and Peter Woods, Transense Technologies chief executive and chairman, are reportedly due to step down following shareholder approval for the TPMS development company’s latest round of fundraising. The news follows Transenses failed reverse takeover of steering system producer Bishop Technology, which was blocked by private shareholders. Mr Perry told Investors Chronicle: Under the deal we were doing with Bishop, I would become deputy chairman. I still intend to do that. The management changes are expected to take place imminently.
Continue ReadingMicheldever CEO Runner-up for Director of the Year
Micheldever Group Ltd CEO, Paul Fox, was pipped to the post for the Institute of Director’s (IoD) Director of the Year Award in the £25 million+ turnover category. Jonathan Neame of Shepherd Neame brewery won the award, with Steve Barber of technology company Xyratex also nominated. The results were announced at a Dinner and Awards ceremony held on 8 November in the Nash Room of the Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London. Paul Fox joined Micheldever in February 2006 (as result of the Graphite Capital-backed management buyout) along with finance director Richard Sawney. In December 2006 Graphite Capital backed the first acquisition by Micheldever Tyre Services since the company was bought in February 2006. In this move Micheldever acquired two large retail sites, Cambridge and Stortford Performance Tyres, from the Companys private owners, who retired upon completion. According to an official statement, this purchase demonstrated Micheldever’s intention to pursue similar transactions in the future.
Continue ReadingJohn Murphy appointed Accuride President and CEO
Accuride Corporation announced on October 26 that the company’s current CEO and chairman of the board Terry Keating plans to retire from active employment as an officer of the company at the end of 2008. In accordance with the company’s succession plan current president, COO and board member John Murphy has been appointed to serve as Accuride’s president and CEO, effective immediately. Mr. Keating will continue as chairman and will remain an officer of the company.
Continue ReadingAshley Croft Returns to Stapletons as a Consultant
Former managing director, Ashley Croft, has returned to Stapletons to act as a consultant with special responsibility for working with the management to further develop Stapletons as one of the countrys leading tyre wholesalers and retailers. In February Croft resigned as Warehousing, Logistics and Wholesale Sales Director of Micheldever Tyre Services, having been involved in the company’s management buy out in February 2006. At the time he told Tyres & Accessories that the decision to leave was entirely amicable, saying that his original brief was to expand Micheldevers wholesale and distribution base to a national level and that that project has now been completed.
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