Dunlop Tires North America (DTNA), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, has named Robert Liu as assistant vice president of product management, a position in which he will help steer the Dunlop and Falken brands into their next phase of product development.
Liu brings more than 30 years of experience in the tire and automotive industries. He began his career as a simulation engineer at General Motors, then spent 27 years at Continental Tire, where he held roles in product R&D, sales and product management.
His Continental tenure included five years based in Shanghai as an expatriate, leading product management and R&D for the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, he directed R&D for the American region, concentrating on replacement passenger light truck (PLT) tires.
Scope of the appointment
DTNA said Liu will oversee both PLT and truck and bus radial (TBR) products alongside its product management team, and will lead development work intended to bring competitive solutions to the market.
Ken Hsu, DTNA's vice president of marketing, said Liu's tire-industry experience and leadership record align with the company's innovation and growth goals, adding that his insights are expected to inform product strategy as the business moves forward.