Bridgestone appoints Hiroshi Yoshizane as head of India operations

Japanese tyremaker Bridgestone on Monday announced the appointment of Hiroshi Yoshizane as its new Managing Director for India.

He succeeds Stefano Sanchini, who will be moving into the role of VP of Consumer Replacement for Europe, Bridgestone India said.

Yoshizane, who moves to the new role from Bridgestone Japan, is the third MD of Bridgestone's India operations in a little over one year.

Sanchini had in January last year assumed the position from then-incumbent Parag Satpute.

Earlier, Yoshizane served as executive vice president of solution business, retail, and service business in Bridgestone Tire Solution Japan Co Ltd, the company said.

"India is a strategic, evolving, and growth market for Bridgestone, with a unique set of opportunities and challenges, as the country's automotive sector is poised for major advances both in terms of numbers and technology," said Yoshizane.

The development follows Bridgestone Corporation's recent announcement regarding the global reorganisation of Bridgestone East and West, the company said. India will be reassigned under east forming BSAPIC (Bridgestone Asia Pacific India China) as one SBU (Strategic Business Unit), considering that these geographies represent similar consumer sentiments and Bridgestone's synergies can be channelised to develop these markets further, it said.