Bridgestone Americas Announces New President of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Latin America

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to strengthen its core tire business and accelerate the  journey to become a global leader in mobility solutions, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone) today announced   Charlie Rule, formerly vice president of operations, Latin America, has been named president, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Latin America (BATO LA), effective August 1. Rule succeeds Joseph Saoud, who successfully spearheaded two years of growth for the company's Latin America business.

Rule will be responsible for all Latin America tire businesses with full P&L responsibility, including dotted line responsibility for manufacturing, and will continue to lead Category Strategy, Product Planning, Marketing Branding and Marketing Communications in the region.

"Charlie has played a significant role in the transformation of our Latin America business, shaping our go-to market approach, driving efficiencies and increasing our market share," said Gabriel Asbun, group president, Americas Tire Business, Bridgestone Americas. "Charlie's broad international experience, coupled with his extensive understanding of our region and of our business, make him the right leader to take BATO LA to the next phase of development," added Asbun.

Rule is a marketing and general management executive with over 25 years of experience working in international markets across Latin America, the United States, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He has served in several local, regional and global roles in general management, marketing, sales, innovation and strategy across his career.

Rule earned a bachelor's degree in international finance and marketing from the University of Miami.

For more company news, visit BridgestoneAmericas.com.

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:      

Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. BSAM also is engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produces air springs, roofing materials and industrial fibers and textiles. BSAM also operates the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, the company is dedicated to improving the way people live, work, move and play in all of the communities it calls home.

About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Latin America:

Bridgestone Americas maintains an established and strong presence in Latin America through the subsidiaries that make up the Latin America Tire Operations (BATO LA), which is part of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. BATO LA, through eight manufacturing and sales subsidiaries, operates five tire production plants — two in Brazil, and one each in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico— along with proving grounds in Acuña, Mexico, and São Pedro, Brazil. In addition, through Bandag do Brasil Ltda. and Bandag de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., the companies manufacture and market pre-cure retread for truck and bus tires.

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SOURCE Bridgestone Americas, Inc.