Goodyear reorganization effective Jan. 1

AKRON—Goodyear has set up a new organizational structure for its businesses, merging its North America and Latin America operations in an Americas group to create what it believes will be a more efficient model.

It also named new leaders for the firm's Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa businesses. Included in the changes is the resignation of Darren Wells, former treasurer and chief financial officer of the firm and current EMEA president, who will leave the company in early 2016.

A company spokesman said Wells is leaving the firm to return to the U.S and pursue a career change.

“We deeply appreciate everything Darren Wells has done for Goodyear during his 13 years with the company,” Chairman and CEO Richard J. Kramer said in a statement. “First as treasurer and later as CFO, Darren led numerous initiatives that were critical to the company's turnaround and ensuring its long-term financial health. As president of EMEA, he laid the groundwork for future success in the region.”

Goodyear will merge the North America and Latin America businesses into the Americas business unit, effective Jan. 1, the spokesman said.

He said the move is being made to better serve customers by integrating product supply, market forecasting and product development in the two regions.

Stephen R. McClellan, president of Goodyear's North America business, will head the Americas business, while Marcelo Toscani, vice president of global manufacturing, will serve as president of the Latin America operations and report to McClellan.

Both regions approach the mar-ket differently, but there are sim-ilarities, Kra-mer said. A combined Americas business gives the tire maker the opportunity “to operate more efficiently and bet-ter manage the increasing complexity of the tire industry.

“This will enhance our ability to deliver more of our high-value-added tires to the customers and consumers who are demanding them most.”

The new organization “is structured to accelerate growth and maximize earnings over time through simplicity, speed and an intense focus on our customers and markets,” he said.

Production plants in the combined region, including a new facility under construction in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, slated to open in 2017, will serve all customers in Latin America and North America. That will give Goodyear greater flexibility to anticipate and react to market changes, according to the company.

McClellan, 50, has spent his career at Goodyear since joining the firm in 1988. “He has come up through the ranks,” the spokesman said, “and spent time in several sectors.”

He has been president of the company's North America business since 2011. Prior to that, he served as president of the North American consumer tire business, headed the North American commercial truck tire business and held other management positions, including finance, sales and distribution.

“Steve is a seasoned leader who has consistently executed our strategy, delivering record results and putting the North America business on a path to sustained growth. He is perfectly suited to lead our Americas business,” Kramer said.

Toscani, 57, is a native of Argentina, with experience in marketing, manufacturing and general management in several Latin American countries. In addition to his global operations role, he has held leadership positions in Brazil and China during more than 30 years at Goodyear.

Replacing Wells as president of Goodyear's Europe, Middle East and Africa business will be Jean-Claude Kihn, current president of Goodyear's Latin America business. He will assume his new role Jan. 1.

Kihn, 56, joined Goodyear in 1988 as an engineer in the company's tech-nical center in his native Luxembourg.

He has been a member of Good-year's senior leadership team since 2008. He has served as chief technical officer, senior vice president and managing director of Goodyear Brazil.