Bridgestone's Annunziato elected ETRMA president

BRUSSELS — The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association has elected Franco Annunziato, vice president and senior adviser at Bridgestone Europe, as its president for a three-year term starting Jan. 1, 2018.

Thierry du Granrut of the Syndicat National du Caoutchouc et des Polymeres was elected to a second term as ETRMA vice president, the association said. Mr. du Granrut's term also is for three years.

Mr. Annunziato is the first Bridgestone executive to hold the ETRMA presidency, the association said. He succeeds Christian Kötz of Continental A.G., who has held the post since January 2015.

"The change at ETRMA's helm comes at an interesting time for the industry with a new wave of regulatory initiatives that will engage the industry and the European institutions in the near future" ETRMA Secretary General Fazilep Cinaralp said.

Mr. Annunziato said he plans to keep pursing many of the same goals Mr. Kötz made priorities, such as "innovating to care of our employees, the environment and the consumers, and to ensure the sustainability of the industry and the environment it works in...."

Ms. Cinaralp also thanked Mr. Kötz for this service, saying he "proved to be an engaged, driven and committed president, leading ETRMA through important successes, particularly with regard to market surveillance".

The ETRMA board of directors also approved the membership of Prometeon Tyre S.r.l. — the newly formed company that's taking over Pirelli & C. S.p.A.'s industrial tire activities — as affiliate member.