Ex-Bridgestone exec Minardi to give Latin Expo keynote

PANAMA CITY, Panama — Former Bridgestone Corp. executive Eduardo Minardi will be the keynote speaker at this summer's Latin Tyre & Auto Parts Expo.

The event, set for June 14-16 at the new Panama Convention Center, will be the first time the tire and auto parts shows will be held concurrently in the same venue.

After retiring from Bridgestone in 2017, Minardi helped found Minardi Global, a consulting firm.

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During his 28 years with Bridgestone, Minardi held various positions of leadership, including chairman of both Bridgestone Europe and Bridgestone Americas, executive vice president and executive officer of Bridgestone Corp., as well as having a seat on Global Executive Committee in Japan.

The Latin Tyre & Auto Parts Expo organizers call Minardi one of the most "influential leaders in the automotive industry" with more than 30 years of experience.

He will provide key insight and trends impacting the industry. Other speakers include:

• David Shaw, CEO, Tire Industry Research;
• Radu Iliescu, sales manager, Denso Corp.;
• Guilherme Soares, aftermarket manager, BorgWarner Brasil Ltda.;
• William Veder-Ardila, commercial manager, Hankook Tire & Technology; and
• David Stevens, CEO, Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB).

Event organizers said the speakers' "expertise and insights will be invaluable to attendees as they navigate the ever-changing automotive industry."

Registration for both attendees and exhibitors is open. For more information, see latinpartsexpo.com.