Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has recruited a key figure from the Midland automotive sector to its senior management team to drive European expansion.
Guy Jones has joined Leamington-based Bridgestone in a new business development role from MG in Longbridge, where he played a key part in the revival of the 91-year old marque under its Chinese owners SAIC.
The sales and marketing director’s role at MG was the latest in a long line of influential automotive industry positions, having already worked at Land Rover Bentley and Kia.
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Mr Jones’ appointment will boost the north region senior management team at Bridgestone.
His main objective will be to manage the delivery of key projects as part of a process to transform the sales and profitability of the Japanese company’s European business, working across the commercial and consumer divisions in the 海角视频 and Ireland as well as the Nordic regions.
Mr Jones told the Post: “There’s a lot to do but it is certainly a big opportunity for the group.
“The business is globally number one in terms of tyre and rubber but in Europe we not at the same level as we are globally.
“You have got some strong European brands to compete with such as Continental, Goodyear Dunlop and Pirelli.
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“They are all strong but globally Bridgestone is in a stronger position as a portfolio product and we are investing across that portfolio.
“We are not only strong in the passenger car segment but also light commercials, motorcycles, off-road and truck and bus and we have just launched agricultural.
“We are going through a process to step-up the performance of the European business.
“Bridgestone is making substantial investment in products, services and people to strengthen its position in the European market and wants to get the most out of that investment.”
Mr Jones said he also sees potential in developing Bridgestone’s sister brand Firestone, with a number of sales and marketing initiatives already planned for 2015.
He added: “We have got some really strong new products and the fact we have got the Firestone brand too means there is a big opportunity in the middle market.
“We are doing a lot of work to bring Firestone up underneath Bridgestone.
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“That is exciting as a portfolio, we have got a good ladder of brands with Bridgestone at the top and are in a good position to attack the market.”
Mr Jones’ career has seen him play a pivotal role at several car-makers.
At Land Rover, where he started his career, he was involved in the launch of the Discovery model and the repositioning of the Range Rover as a luxury vehicle.
As global brand manager at Bentley he was involved in the development and launch of the Continental GT and as marketing director at Kia established it as a volume brand in the 海角视频, seeing sales grow from 6,000 to 35,000 units.
He said: “I have always been there during major transformation for firms. That is what I specialise in.
“At Land Rover we were going through a real transformation from grass roots to a much bigger product range.
“This is a transformation of the European market within the global picture, looking after the 海角视频, Ireland and the Nordic region. Much of my role is about growing the business
“With my connections, skills and experience I did want to stay in something automotive-related, but to do something more than passenger cars.
“It’s 30 years since I started in the car industry and refreshing to come into something different.
“I understand a lot of the dynamics of something automotive-related and bring a transferable set of skills but it is a challenge.
“However, Bridgestone has great brands, great products and an interesting set of markets.”
Reflecting on his most recent role at MG, Mr Jones said he would miss it but was proud of what had been achieved there.
“We created a European business for SAIC,” he said. “We established that business from nothing and developed a new range of products.
“We did a pretty good job with the first car and a very good job with the second car and the sales results and growth show that.
“I have always worked for OEMs and will miss MG but am proud of the fact we got the company from nowhere to somewhere significant in five years.”