Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) has made new leadership changes.
Bridgestone says these executive appointments have been made to strengthen the company’s core tire business and accelerate the company’s journey to become a global leader in mobility solutions.
To support the Bridgestone Americas business strategy, the following leadership changes will take effect March 16:
Riccardo Cichi, currently chief sales officer for Bridgestone Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMIA), has been named president and chief sales officer North America. In this newly-created role, Cichi will lead a consolidated sales organization for the consumer replacement tire business and the commercial truck, bus and retread tire business in the U.S. and Canada. He will also oversee the company’s GCR Tires & Service (GCR) commercial service network. Bridgestone says Cichi brings more than 30 years of global tire industry expertise to his new role, including deep tire experience in the U.S. market. Cichi will report to Gabriel Asbun, who is taking on the role of group president, Americas tire business, Bridgestone Americas at the end of March.
Chris Ripani, currently president of GCR, has been appointed to the expanded role of president, truck, bus and retread tires and GCR. Ripani has been with Bridgestone for nearly 20 years, serving in a variety of strategic sales, marketing and operations roles across the company’s commercial businesses. Ripani will report to Cichi.
Erik Seidel will continue in his current role as president, consumer replacement tire sales, U.S. and Canada. Seidel joined Bridgestone in 2014 as vice president of consumer marketing before moving into his current role as president of the consumer replacement tire business. Prior to Bridgestone, Seidel worked at Kimberly-Clark in a variety of marketing leadership roles of increasing responsibility. Seidel will now report to Cichi.
Eric Higgs, currently president of truck, bus and retread tires, has been named senior vice president, marketing operations. This new role is being created to help shape the future of the Bridgestone Americas tire and solutions business and create synergies between the marketing and sales organizations. Higgs joined Bridgestone in 2016 as vice president of commercial marketing before moving into his current position. He previously worked in a variety of marketing, sales, operational and technical roles with P&G and Kimberly-Clark prior to joining Bridgestone. Higgs will report to Philip Dobbs, chief marketing officer, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations.
Brian Goldstine, senior vice president, fleet management solutions for the commercial tire business, will take on the expanded role of president, mobility solutions and fleet management for Bridgestone Americas. Goldstine will be responsible for scaling mobility solutions for the complete Bridgestone Americas enterprise in this new role. Under Goldstine’s leadership, all existing resources dedicated to fleet management and mobility solutions will be integrated into one specialized organization. Prior to joining Bridgestone in 2017, Goldstine worked in marketing and management roles at Kimberly-Clark and Unilever. He will report to group president, Americas Tire Gabriel Asbun.
Craig Schneider, currently president, diversified businesses, will take on an expanded role as president, enterprise strategy, corporate development and diversified businesses. In this new role, Schneider will have responsibility for enterprise strategy, portfolio and analytics, mergers and acquisitions and strategic initiatives, while also continuing to lead the company’s diversified businesses. Before Bridgestone, Schneider served in a variety of operations, retail and sales leadership roles at Shell Oil and Capgemini. He will report directly to President, CEO & COO Paolo Ferrari.
