Bridgestone Corp.'s board of directors has approved proposed changes in the responsibilities of several corporate officers. All will retain the title of vice president and officer.
The changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2008. They include (with current responsibilities in parentheses):
* Mikio Masunaga (tire research and material development) will oversee procurement and steel cord.
* Hideki Yokoyama (quality) will oversee central research. He will concurrently hold the title of vice director of the human resources division.
* Shuichi Ishibashi (Kanto, Japan, branch) will oversee quality. Ishibashi served as president of the Bridgestone/Firestone North American Consumer Tire Group in 2002 prior to returning to corporate headquarters in Tokyo.
* Kaoru Fujioka (steel cord) will be named assistant to senior vice president, responsible for GLC.
* Sugio Fukuoka (seconded to Bridgestone South Africa Holdings) will take over as chairman and CEO of Bridgestone South Africa Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
In addition, board member Toru Tsuda, who serves concurrently as a corporate office and board member, will be given the added responsibility of overseeing tire research and material development. As vice president and officer, he already is responsible for both product and tire product development.
