Bridgestone MEA appoints new sales director

MUSCAT: Bridgestone Middle East & Africa has appointed Stefano Sanchini as the new sales director to spearhead the organisation’s continued growth across the region.

Stefano Sanchini contributes more than 18 years of experience in the automotive industry, 14 years of which is from the tyre industry. With 5 years of experience in the Middle East and Africa region, Stefano Sanchini manages the sales activities for Bridgestone’s Middle East and Africa’s Branches, Commercial Channel Development, Technical Services (Commercial and Consumer) and Retail divisions.

During his career, Stefano Sanchini has worked across various functions to understand the inner workings of the sector. He started in Production, before moving on to Supply Chain, IT, Marketing, and finally Sales.

“Experience has shown me that the MEA region presents automotive brands with a unique set of opportunities, which I’m thrilled to be helping Bridgestone capitalise on,” said Stefano Sanchini. “A combination of tough road conditions and passion for driving has seen high demand for commercial and high-performance tyres in this region, along with convenient & affordable maintenance. With this on top of our mind, expanding network of First Stop service centres is currently being rolled out in the Middle East. My goal is to make sure our branches and partners can satisfy the growing demand for quality tyres and keep the region’s motorists on the move,” he added.

Supporting Stefano Sanchini with the task at Bridgestone MEA is Berna Akinci who was appoint- ed as general manager - Marketing, following eight years at Brisa Turkey, a joint venture between Bridgestone and the Sabanci Group. In her role, Berna Akinci is responsible for Bridgestone’s product management, market intelligence, channel management, communication, and business planning in the MEA markets.

Berna Akinci comes with experience in these key areas from her time at Brisa Turkey, where she was elevated to the position of Marketing Manager - Com- mercial Products. Berna Akinci was a key member of the management team driving growth within Brisa, through strategic initiatives including the development of a second factory, retail expansion, launch of non-tyre product portfolio, and creation of customer value proposition, among other initiatives.

“We know the automotive market is fiercely competitive in this region, which makes the department’s role in communicating the benefits of Bridgestone’s products and services all the more important. Ultimately, we want motorists to gain the most from their vehicle and tyres have an integral part to play in this” she added.

Bridgestone is one of the world’s leading tyre producer and rubber company and a popular tyre brand in the Sultanate of Oman. Towell Auto Centre, a pioneer in the automobile business in Oman since 1972, is the sole distributor of Bridgestone tyres in the Sultanate of Oman.

Bridgestone Oman operates a retail network of 26 outlets which provide excellent sales and professional service to their esteemed customers.