United States. TBC Corporation has appointed Sam Kato as the company's new President and Chief Executive Officer.
Kato, who served as TBC's managing director for the past two years, replaces Laurent Bourrut, who is retiring after completing his assignment of positioning the company for strategic growth amid the evolving tire industry. Bourrut will remain an executive advisor to Kato and TBC.
TBC Board Member Scott Clark said, "We are grateful for Laurent's leadership and vision during his tenure at TBC. We wish him well in his retirement and believe that the foundation he laid for the company is, in fact, a launching pad for the future of TBC."
"Sam Kato has been helping to lead TBC during this period and we look forward to working with him to achieve our strategic goals."
Kato is a veteran of the global automotive business for more than 30 years. He served as a director of the board of directors of TBC Corp. from 2015 to 2018, when he led the transportation businesses of Sumitomo Corporation of Americas.
Kato was a key part of Sumitomo's leadership team that formed a 50/50 strategic joint venture with Michelin North America Inc. in 2018 to create today's TBC Corp.
As TBC's first Managing Director, Kato held responsibility for legal and compliance, human resources, IT, digital, corporate strategy and communication.
His appointment by TBC's Board of Directors as President and Chief Executive Officer follows a strategic plan developed in collaboration with Bourrut.
Kato said: "I will always be grateful for the time I spent working alongside Laurent. We wish him happiness in his well-deserved retirement."
"I know he will be proud of all that TBC will accomplish, as we execute our vision and evolve and transform the company to realize our purpose: to keep our associates, partners and customers moving forward on the road ahead. Laurent and I believe that this company can be a leader in all the segments it serves."
Bourrut commented: "The entire TBC team has worked hard to position the company for sustainable growth. I am honored to have been a part of developing the vision, and I couldn't be more pleased that Sam is leading the team forward in implementing our strategic plan. The road ahead is prosperous for TBC."
