Paolo Pompei to take over as CEO of Nokian Tyres on 1 January, 2025

Paolo Pompei to take over as CEO of Nokian Tyres on 1 January, 2025

Scandinavian tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres has announced Paolo Pompei will take over as the President and CEO on 1 January, 2025 at the latest. He will succeed Jukka Moisio, who has shared his intention to retire from the company.

Nokian Tyres currently sells tyres for the passenger cars, trucks and heavy machinery segment. 

Pompei is an industry veteran and had last worked Yokohama TWS, former Trelleborg Wheel Systems, where he acted as President since 2017. Prior to that, he held several leadership positions in the Trelleborg Group, including the position of President of the Business Unit Agricultural tyres, and earlier in his career he has worked at Pirelli. Pompei is a Board Member at ETRMA, European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association.

Jukka Hienonen, Chair of Nokian Tyres’ Board of Directors said, “I am very pleased to have Paolo Pompei starting to lead Nokian Tyres. Paolo Pompei has very strong international experience from the tyre industry, delivering continuous growth and strong financial performance in his earlier positions. He also has a deep understanding of the markets in Central Europe and North America, which are the key growth markets for Nokian Tyres. Paolo Pompei has the experience and capabilities to lead Nokian Tyres in its next phase of development toward 2 billion euros (INR 175 billion) net sales”.

Nokian Tyres Q2 sales rise, profit lags as strikes, red sea crisis hit

Pompei said, "I am honoured to be appointed to lead Nokian Tyres, which is a fantastic company in an exciting transformation phase as the company is targeting strong growth in Central Europe and North America while being a global leader in the sustainability area, building the world’s first zero CO2 emission tyre factory in Romania. This combined with great products, a valued brand and leading position in the Nordic countries offers a lot of opportunities for development. I look forward to working with the Nokian Tyres team and creating future success together with existing and new customers.”

Moisio has led the company as the President and CEO since 2020.

“The company’s current President and CEO Jukka Moisio has guided Nokian Tyres through exceptional times, during COVID-19 and through the consequences of the war in Ukraine, developing Nokian Tyres toward new growth. Even though we still have months to go on our journey together with Jukka, on behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank him for the excellent cooperation, for his leadership and contributions to the company,” concluded Hienonen.

Oriental Rubber Industries’ Vikram Makar Passes Away 

Oriental Rubber Industries’ Vikram Makar Passes Away 

Vikram Makar, Managing Director, Oriental Rubber Industries and Former President, All India Rubber Industries Association, passed away on 5 July 2025. 

The second-generation entrepreneur was instrumental in expanding Oriental Rubber’s presence not just in India but to over 50 countries globally, including North America, Europe, Australia, Southern Africa and the Middle East. Under his leadership, Oriental Rubber Industries became the leading exporter of conveyor belts from India.

The 62-year-old rubber industry veteran was vocal for India’s rubber MSME sector — passionate, insightful and deeply committed to seeing these small businesses thrive. 

Maker spoke with a rare blend of industry knowledge and empathy, underlining the human side of economic policies. He didn't just highlight the challenges; he offered practical recommendations.

Beyond policy, he exemplified leadership grounded in compassion, seeking systemic change with a sense of urgency and care. Makar’s legacy is one of actionable insight and unwavering belief in the resilience of India’s small enterprises.

Makar will be remembered not just as an expert voice in the rubber industry and finance, but as a thoughtful, empathetic leader.

Bridgestone India Launches Women-Led Orchard Project In Madhya Pradesh

Bridgestone India Launches Women-Led Orchard Project In Madhya Pradesh

Bridgestone India has joined hands with Sagest (Society for Environment and Agricultural Sustainability) to launch the Nutritional Fruit Orchard Project in Sulawad Village, Madhya Pradesh. This women-led project improves nutrition, fosters livelihood possibilities and supports environmental sustainability. With the help of Bridgestone staff and locals, the orchard, which spans four acres, is home to more than 1,300 fruit trees of more than 15 species. It is grown using sustainable practices.

With a 96 percent survival rate in its first year, the project has enabled women to run a nursery with 1,000 saplings and turn garden waste into organic compost and insecticides, encouraging environmentally responsible farming and generating extra revenue. The ladies who are in charge of the orchard will have a reliable source of income once it is completely developed. By assisting households in growing 251 kitchen gardens, the programme also improves nutrition in Sulawad by guaranteeing that locals have access to fresh, homegrown produce. Frequent training sessions have improved environmental consciousness and community ownership.

This unique project demonstrates multi-stakeholder collaboration – Bridgestone and Sagest lead implementation, the local panchayat provided land, women manage daily operations and a nearby government school assists. By combining environmental conservation, rural development and women’s empowerment, the initiative serves as a replicable model for sustainable corporate-community partnerships.

Hiroshi Yoshizane, Managing Director, Bridgestone India, said, “True sustainability goes beyond business – it’s about empowering communities and protecting the planet. This project shows how women-led, community-driven action can create long-term impact on nutrition, livelihoods and the environment. It’s not just about planting trees; it’s about planting hope, resilience and a better future. This initiative beautifully demonstrates how community-driven, women-led environmental action can improve nutrition, generate income and protect the planet – all at the same time.”

JK Tyre & Industries Appoints Sylvain Sagot As New Director For Quality

Sylvian Sagot

JK Tyre & Industries, one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the country, has announced the appointment of Sylvain Sagot as Director – Quality.

Sagot comes with over three decades of experience in quality assurance, process excellence and operational leadership in the automotive and tyre industry. A French national, he began his career as a Quality Engineer at Michelin Netherlands in 1991.

In 2004, he worked with Renault as a Supplier Development Consultant and went on to grow to the ranks of Supplier Performance Manager for the Renault Nissan Alliance. He also worked with Alstom and Gajah Tunggal, one of the biggest tyre manufacturers in Southeast Asia as QA General Manager & TBR Plant Head in Indonesia for over three years.

Sagot in his last role was the International Truck Trailer Quality & Product Safety Director at Carrier, where he spent over a decade.

JK Tyre & Industries believes that Sagot with deep expertise in supplier development, quality management systems, product safety, and OEM partnerships in large-scale manufacturing environments, will further strengthen its global operations.

Nynas Leads In Sustainability As Independent Study Rates Its Products Highly

Nynas Leads In Sustainability As Independent Study Rates Its Products Highly

Nynas, with its strong commitment to innovation and product sustainability, recently commissioned an independent study to evaluate the environmental impact of its products across four key application areas: transformer oils, lubricating greases, tyres and bitumen binders. Conducted by Future Earth Analytics, LLC, the research revealed that many Nynas products deliver significant sustainability advantages, often surpassing industry performance benchmarks.

The study highlighted several environmental benefits across different applications. In transformer oils, certain Nynas products improve cooling efficiency and energy transmission, reducing energy losses during operation. For tyres, specific Nynas tyre oils contribute to lower rolling resistance, which helps decrease fuel consumption in vehicles. In lubricating greases, the use of naphthenic base oils reduces reliance on lithium – a resource-intensive material – while also cutting energy consumption during production. Additionally, Nynas’ strategic location near bitumen customers minimises transportation distances, thereby lowering associated emissions.

The findings underscore a substantial environmental impact: had customers opted for alternative products instead of Nynas’ offerings in 2023, an additional 740,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions would have been generated. This saving is equivalent to avoiding the consumption of five million barrels of oil.

To assess these benefits, researchers employed a dual analytical framework combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Net Energy Analysis (NEA). This approach allowed for a detailed comparison of energy savings and emissions reductions across different lifecycle phases, such as cradle-to-gate and use-phase impacts. By focusing on stages where variations occur, the study provided a quantitative evaluation of how choosing Nynas products can lead to measurable energy and emissions savings compared to market alternatives. The results reinforce Nynas’ leadership in delivering sustainable solutions that support a lower-carbon future. 

Marika Rangstedt, Sustainability Manager, said, “The beneficial effects are true not only for our recent circular or renewable products, but also for many of our traditional products. We are leading the way in sustainability and setting new standards for product related environmental responsibility within our industry.”