Bridgestone is bringing its principal European tyre sales activities under one senior executive, with Stefano Sanchini becoming President, Europe Sales from 1 October 2026. The expanded role combines leadership of Consumer and Commercial sales across passenger replacement, truck and bus, agriculture, OTR, motorcycle and original equipment activities.
The appointment extends Sanchini’s existing responsibility for Bridgestone’s Consumer Replacement business in Europe into a substantially broader sales remit.
Under the new structure, Bridgestone says its European sales organisation will bring together passenger car replacement, truck and bus, agricultural, off-the-road, motorcycle and OE activities. The change therefore goes beyond an executive promotion, placing product areas that have previously operated under separate senior Consumer and Commercial leadership beneath a single Europe Sales president.
Mete Ekin, Group President EMEA at Bridgestone, said the change reflects the way customers increasingly operate across different product categories. Bridgestone says the combined organisation is intended to simplify customer interactions, improve coordination between its sales activities and allow the business to respond more quickly across European markets.
The extent of the organisational change below Sanchini has not yet been detailed.
As recently as February 2026, Bridgestone identified Waqqas Ahmad as Vice President Commercial Europe when announcing management changes in its Central European commercial tyre business. Ahmad was quoted in connection with appointments covering Commercial operations and Bridgestone’s Bandag retreading activities.
The latest announcement does not specify whether that position, or other existing Consumer and Commercial reporting lines, will change when the new Europe Sales organisation takes effect. For distributors, fleets and other customers working across several Bridgestone product categories, that detail will determine how far the consolidation changes day-to-day commercial relationships rather than simply adding a common leadership layer.
Sanchini moves into the position after serving as Vice President Consumer Replacement Europe. Bridgestone confirmed his move into that role in February 2024, when he left his position as managing director of Bridgestone India.
His career with Bridgestone began in 2017 as Sales Director for the Middle East and Africa. He became Vice President Region MEA in 2019 before moving to India as managing director at the start of 2023.
The appointment takes effect on 1 October 2026.
Tags: Bridgestone, Stefano Sanchini, Bridgestone Europe, Europe tyre sales, tyre industry appointments, commercial tyres, consumer tyres, OE tyres, truck tyres, agricultural tyres
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