Bridgestone, the world’s number one tire and rubber company, announces the appointment of Paolo Ferrari to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) business unit based in Zaventem, Belgium. Mr. Ferrari also will be a member of the Bridgestone Europe NV/SA Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
Franco Annunziato, who previously held the position of CEO of Bridgestone EMEA, was appointed Executive Chairman and CEO of Bridgestone China Asia Pacific in January 2016.
Mr. Ferrari, an Italian national, brings a wealth of global leadership experience to Bridgestone, having held various management roles in North America, Europe and Latin America. He joins Bridgestone from Pirelli where, most recently, he had been the CEO of Pirelli’s LATAM division, prior to that had been CEO and Chairman of the North American business. Mr. Ferrari has held various Chief Executive roles with the Telecom Italia Group in Italy, Germany, and the UK across multiple business units. Earlier in his career, he also worked in investment banking with Credit Suisse First Boston in London.
“We are excited to welcome Paolo to Bridgestone. He is a proven global leader who will drive innovation, performance, and engagement while respecting Bridgestone’s core values. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his ability to drive profitable growth across industries and geographies while building capability within his teams.” stated Eduardo Minardi, Executive Chairman and acting CEO, Bridgestone Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
A native of Italy, Paolo has lived and worked extensively abroad and in particular in the US. He holds a bachelor of business and economics from Università Bocconi and a MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.
Mr. Ferrari will join Bridgestone on 19 September 2016.
