AKRON—Goodyear's board of directors has given four members of its senior leadership team new roles, effective Dec. 1.
Chief Financial Officer Darren R. Wells, executive vice president and chief financial officer, has been named president of Goodyear's Europe, Middle East and Africa business unit.
Arthur de Bok, currently president of Goodyear's EMEA business, will assume a new role as senior vice president responsible for driving standardized and integrated sales and marketing processes across Goodyear.
Lauren K. Thompson will succeed Wells as executive vice president and chief financial officer. She is currently the company's vice president of finance for Goodyear's North America business.
Damon J. Audia will succeed Thompson. Audia is currently senior vice president of business development.
Goodyear Chairman and CEO Richard Kramer said the moves put proven Goodyear leaders in key roles that will enable the company to stay on its strategy roadmap and maintain its positive momentum.
Wells, 47, has been Goodyear's CFO since October of 2008. He previously served as senior vice president of finance and strategy. He joined Goodyear as vice president and treasurer in August of 2002.
Kramer called Wells a "a key leader in the company's strategic journey over the past 11 years" who "has worked as a valued business partner with me and the rest of Goodyear's leadership team."
De Bok, 51, has been president of Goodyear's EMEA business unit since 2008 and was the president of the company's European Union business prior to that. He joined Goodyear in 2002 as vice president, sales and marketing, for consumer tires in Europe.
"Under Arthur's guidance, we launched a long list of award-winning products developed from the market back and enhanced our product portfolio with a more profitable mix of premium tires," Kramer said.
Thompson, 49, has held her current title since 2011 and has been with the company for 30 years. She has held leadership positions of increasing responsibility in various business unit and corporate finance roles in addition to leading several strategic initiatives.
Thompson "has played a key role in the turnaround of our North America results," Kramer said.
Audia, 42, has held his current title as senior vice president of business development for the past year. He joined the company in 2004 as assistant treasurer, capital markets, and he has held both corporate and business unit financial responsibilities, Goodyear said. He has been senior vice president of finance for the company's Asia-Pacific business, and before that, he served as the company's treasurer.