Yokohama Rubber informally decided the below-mentioned changes of senior management at the meeting of the board members held on 17 February, 2023. The changes will formally be approved after the general meeting of shareholders to be held on 30 March, 2023.

As of March 30, 2023

Promoted Member of the Board (current position
Shinji Seimiya

Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Chief Technical & productional Officer, in charge of IT & Management System Planning Div.

(Member of the Board and Officer, Chief Technical Officer, in charge of Quality Assurance Div., Head of Tire Development Div).

Newly appointed Members of the Board (current position)
Tomoaki Miyamoto
Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Head of Japan Replacement Tire Sales & Marketing Div, Head of Consumer Tire Product Planning Div, in charge of Corporate Administration Div, Member of the Board of Yokohama Tire Japan Co, Ltd.

(Managing Officer, Head of Japan Replacement Tire Sales & Marketing Div, Member of the Board of Yokohama Tire Japan Co, Ltd).

Yoshikuni Nakamura
Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Head of Tire Business Planning Div, in charge of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Div, in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility Div.

(Managing Officer, Head of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Div, Chairman of Yokohama Asia Co, Ltd.)

Masahiro Yuki
Member of the Board and Officer, Head of Corporate Planning Div., in charge of Quality Assurance Div., Chairman of Yokohama Rubber (China) Co., Ltd.

(Officer, Chairman of Yokohama Rubber (China) Co, Ltd, Chairman of Yokohama Tire Sales (Shanghai) Co, Ltd, Chairman of Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co, Ltd, Chairman of Suzhou Yokohama Tire Co, Ltd, Chairman of Yokohama Industrial Products - Hangzhou Co, Ltd, Chairman of Yokohama Industrial Products Sales - Shanghai Co, Ltd, Vice Chairman of Shandong Yokohama Rubber Industrial Products Co, Ltd).

Megumi Shimizu
Member of the Board (Outside)

(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

Junichi Furukawa
Member of the Board (Outside)

Newly appointed Members of the Board and the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee
Gota Matsuo

Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee

(Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Head of Corporate Administration Div, in charge of Corporate Finance & Accounting Dept, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Div, in charge of IT & Management System Planning Div, in charge of PRGR).

Hisao Uchida
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee

(Audit & Supervisory Board Member)

Hirokazu Kono
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee (Outside)

(Member of the Board (Outside))

Atsushi Kamei
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee (Outside)
(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

Hiroki Kimura
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee (Outside)
(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

The members of the Board voted at the meeting of the board members on 31 January, 2023, to shift the company from a company with an audit and supervisory board to a company with an audit and supervisory committee, subject to approval at the general meeting of shareholders on 30 March, 2023.

Change in Member of the Board’s responsibility
Nitin Mantri

Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Head of OHT Div, CEO of Yokohama Off-Highway Tires K.K, Chairman of Yokohama India, Chairman of Yokohama Tyre Vietnam Inc, in charge of Yokohama Europe GmbH.

(Member of the Board and Managing Officer, Head of OHT Div, CEO of Yokohama Off-Highway Tires K.K, Chairman of Yokohama India).

Retired Members of the Board
Yasuo Nakayama
Advisor, Vice Chairman of Yokohama Rubber (China), Chairman of Yokohama Industrial Products - Hangzhou, Chairman of Yokohama Industrial Products Sales - Shanghai, Vice Chairman of Shandong Yokohama Rubber Industrial Products.

(Member of the Board and Officer, Head of MB Div, Head of Hose and Couplings Div)

Toru Nakamura
Officers , President of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand).

(Member of the Board and Officer, Head of Tire Production Div).

Nobuo Takenaka
(Member of the Board (Outside))

Retired Audit and Supervisory Board Members (including four individuals newly appointed as Member of the Board or Member of the Board and the Audit and Supervisory Committee)

Osamu Mikami
Advisor
(Audit & Supervisory Board Member)

Hisao Uchida
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee

(Audit & Supervisory Board Member)

Atsushi Kamei
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee (Outside)

(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

Megumi Shimizu
Member of the Board (Outside)
(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

Hiroki Kimura
Member of the Board, Member of the Audit ＆ Supervisory Committee (Outside)
(Audit & Supervisory Board Member (Outside))

Promoted Officer

Takehisa Morimoto

Managing Officer, President of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, LLC, Chairman of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC.

(Officer, President of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, LLC).

Newly appointed Officers

Anil Gupta

Officer, COO of ATC Tires, Vice Chairman of Yokohama India.

(Associate Officer, COO of ATC Tires, Vice Chairman of Yokohama India)

Tetsuya Nagao
Officer, Head of Tire Production Div.

(Associate Officer, President of Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc)

Takeshi Masatomo
Officer, Head of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Div, Head of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Dept, Chairman of Yokohama Asia.

(Associate Officer, Acting Head of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Div, Head of Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing Dept).

Shoichiro Matsuda
Officer, Head of Tire Development Div, Head of Tire Designing Dept No 2

(Associate Officer, Acting Head of Tire Development Div, Head of Tire Designing Dept No 2)

Changes in Officers’ responsibility
Shinichi Takimoto

Senior Managing Officer, Chairman and CEO of Yokohama Corporation of North America, Chairman of Yokohama Tire Corporation, Chairman of Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc, Chairman of Yokohama Tire Mexico, S de RL de CV.

(Senior Managing Officer, President and CEO of Yokohama Corporation of North America, Chairman of Yokohama Tire Corporation, CEO of Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc, CEO of Yokohama Tire Mexico, S de RL de CV)

Jeff Barna
Senior Managing Officer, President of Yokohama Corporation of North America, President and CEO of Yokohama Tire Corporation

(Senior Managing Officer, President and CEO of Yokohama Tire Corporation)

Shingo Ishimitsu
Officer, Head of HR Dept, President of Yokohama Peer Support, President of Yokohama Rubber.

(Officer, Head of HR Dept, President of Yokohama Peer Support., President of Yokohama Rubber Health Insurance Society, President of Yokohama Rubber).

Promoted Associate Officers

Takashi Shirokawa
Managing Associate Officer, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Div, Head of Hiratsuka Factory

(Associate Officer, Head of Hiratsuka Factory, Head of Materials Technologies Dept).

Tsuneyuki Ishizuka
Managing Associate Officer, Head of Corporate Administration Div, Head of Corporate General Affairs Dept.

(Associate Officer, Acting Head of Corporate Administration Div, Head of Corporate General Affairs Dept).

Masaki Nakamura
Managing Associate Officer, Head of IT & Management System Planning Div, President of Hamagomu Aicom Inc.

(Associate Officer, Head of IT & Management System Planning Div, Head of System Development Dept, President of Hamagomu Aicom Inc).

Newly appointed Associate Officers

Hideki Satowa
Associate Officer, Deputy in charge of MB Production and Engineering, Head of MB Production and Engineering Planning Dept.

(Assistant in charge of MB Production and Engineering Planning, Head of MB Production and Engineering Planning Dept).

Motoji Fujita
Associate Officer, Acting Head of Research & Advanced Development Div, Head of Materials Technologies Dept.

(President of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand)

Hidekazu Onoi
Associate Officer, Head of Tire Materials Development Dept No 2

(Head of Tire Materials Development Dept No 2)

Takayoshi Omae
Associate Officer, Acting Head of Consumer Tire Product Planning Div, Head of Consumer Tire Product Planning Dept.

(Head of Consumer Tire Product Planning Dept)

Kazuhiro Masuda
Associate Officer, Acting Head of Corporate Administration Div, Head of Legal Dept

(Head of Legal Dept.)

Stan Chandgie
Associate Officer, Vice President of Yokohama Tire Corporation

(Vice President of Yokohama Tire Corporation)

Changes in Associate Officers’ responsibility

Michio Shimizu

Associate Officer, Head of Motorsports Tire Development Dept.

(Associate Officer, Deputy Head of Tire Development Div, Head of Motorsports Tire Development Dept).

Koji Watanabe
Associate Officer, Head of Tire Technical Planning & Administration Dept.

(Associate Officer, Deputy Head of Tire Development Div., Head of Tire Technical Planning & Administration Dept)

Naoki Takeda
Associate Officer, President of Aichi Tire Industry

(Associate Officer, Head of Internal Audit Dept)

Takayuki Hamaya
Associate Officer, Head of MB Div, Head of Industrial Products Div

(Associate Officer, Head of Industrial Products Div)

Shigemichi Mori
Associate Officer, Acting Head of MB Div, Head of Hose and Couplings Div, Head of MB Planning Dept.

(Associate Officer, Acting Head of MB Div, Head of MB Planning Dept)

Ming Fan
Associate Officer, Assistant to President, President of Yokohama Rubber (China) Co, Ltd., Chairman and President of Yokohama Tire Sales (Shanghai) Co, Ltd, Chairman of Hangzhou Yokohama Tire, Chairman of Suzhou Yokohama Tire.

(Associate Officer, Assistant to President, President of Yokohama Rubber (China), President of Yokohama Tire Sales (Shanghai).

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KraussMaffei has appointed Xinting Ren as Managing Director of its extrusion business, effective 1 September, 2026, combining the role with his existing leadership of the group’s China operations.

Ren succeeds Ralf Benack, who left the company at his own request on 31^st August , ending a tenure of about two years.

The company said the dual appointment is intended to strengthen integration between its extrusion activities and international operations.

Ren has led KraussMaffei China for the past three years, overseeing cross-technology activities in the Chinese market. Before joining the group, he held several management roles in the chemical industry, including Assistant General Manager at KraussMaffei Company Limited, now operating as Sinochem Equipment Technology Qingdao Co., and most recently served as general manager of Shanxi China Coal Pingshuo Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.

Benack took over leadership of KraussMaffei Extrusion in 2024 and was responsible for the group’s global extrusion business. During his tenure, the company focused on operational processes and customer orientation, reducing delivery times and further developing the Technology Center at its Laatzen site.

The facility now offers 26 pilot lines for development and customer projects, and the company said it also expanded its extrusion technology portfolio.

From September, responsibility for the extrusion business and management of the China business will be combined under Ren’s leadership.

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Nokian Tyres plc has introduced a new premium summer tyre, the Powerproof E, designed for Central and Southern European markets, with A-class ratings in all three European Union tyre label categories across its full range.

The company said the tyre achieves top grades for rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise, reflecting a development approach aimed at balancing efficiency, safety and comfort within a single product.

“Whether the priority is maximizing range and efficiency or achieving confidence and comfort in wet conditions, drivers should not have to compromise on safety. The new Nokian Tyres Powerproof E is designed to deliver outstanding performance in the areas that matter most to drivers,” said Tommi Alhola, Senior Vice-President for Passenger Car tyres in Central Europe.

Samu Lepistö, development manager at the company, added: “Achieving A-class ratings in all three EU tire label categories across the entire range is a significant result. These characteristics are all important to today's drivers yet improving one can often affect another. Nokian Tyres Powerproof E was developed to deliver balanced performance across all three areas.”

The tyre incorporates what the company calls Motion Control Technology, combining tread design, compound development and structural engineering to support efficiency and wet-weather performance.

Depending on size, between 40.9 percent and 42.8 percent of the tyre’s material content consists of recycled and renewable inputs, including rice husk ash, recycled carbon black and recycled steel.

Production takes place at the group’s factory in Oradea, Romania, which opened in 2024 and operates with zero direct carbon dioxide emissions, powered by renewable energy.

The Powerproof E is designed for passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and crossover vehicles, including electric, hybrid and internal combustion models. It will be available in sizes ranging from 16 to 20 inches for the 2027 summer season in Central and Southern Europe.

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Continental Tire Canada has appointed Frank Buntinx as its new Managing Director, effective 17 August 2026. In this executive capacity, he assumes comprehensive oversight of the organisation’s entire Canadian tyre portfolio, which encompasses passenger and light truck vehicles, commercial truck lines and specialised tyre segments. His leadership will guide the strategic direction and operational performance across these diverse business units.

A native of Belgium, Buntinx brings over two decades of tenure with Continental, having commenced his career there in 2003 within logistics and supply chain management. Over the years, he has accumulated a broad commercial skillset through successive roles in marketing, pricing strategy, business analytics, fleet operations and sales. His professional trajectory later elevated him to senior leadership positions in the Benelux region, where he directed marketing efforts and subsequently headed Fleet Solutions and Truck Tires, thereby acquiring multifaceted management expertise.

This transatlantic appointment signifies a pivotal career transition for Buntinx, offering him the chance to infuse the Canadian market with an international vantage point. His arrival is anticipated to bolster Continental’s regional presence, leveraging his extensive cross-functional background to navigate the complexities of the domestic tyre industry and drive organisational growth.

“I am truly excited to join Continental Tire Canada and begin this new chapter. Continental has built a strong business and reputation in the Canadian market, and I look forward to working alongside our talented team to build on that success, strengthening Continental's position while supporting the growth and success of our customers,” said Buntinx.

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Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., which operates the Dunlop brand, will discontinue the supply of karting tyres by the end of 2027 as part of a strategic review of its business and allocation of management resources.

The company said it would continue supplying products to existing customers until December 31, 2027.

Dunlop has produced karting tyres since 1976, supplying products homologated by the Commission Internationale de Karting-FIA (CIK-FIA), under the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, as well as tyres accredited by the Japan Automobile Federation.

The company said its products had supported a wide range of users, from recreational drivers to young drivers aiming to compete at higher levels, and had contributed to the development of karting participation.

It added that the decision followed a review of its medium- to long-term management strategy and changes in the business environment.

The group said it would continue to contribute to motorsport activities, while expressing appreciation to customers and organisations that had supported its karting tyre business.

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