Bridgestone’s journey to mobility solution leader

WRITTEN BY: ILKHAN OZSEVIM

PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

Bridgestone’s Head of Procurement, Lars Bettermann, reveals the secrets behind its procurement transformation, sustainability commitments and its future

Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, was founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi. The company’s name is a direct translation of the Japanese word ‘Ishibashi’ into English. Its main mission is to serve society with superior quality. Bridgestone takes pride in delivering a wide range of best-in-class tyres and solutions that cater to the evolving mobility needs of its such as data-driven services, telematics, sensor devices, and tyre management systems. These solutions enhance productivity, cost efficiency, and sustainability. By equipping fleets with data intelligence and sensor technology, Bridgestone enables them to maintain their vehicles and provide optimal service. This combination of tyre manufacturing and mobility solutions defines Bridgestone as a mobility-driven solution company.

Lars Bettermann is the CPO for Bridgestone EMIA, overseeing procurement operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. He leads a team of around 150 procurement professionals to drive the company’s procurement activities into the future.

Lars Bettermann’s professional journey in procurement began approximately 25 years ago when he joined Ford Motor Company. Prior to that he says, he never imagined procurement to be such an interesting place to be.

“My time at Ford became a transformative experience, allowing me to fill my toolbox with the most essential procurement skills.” Lars Bettermann gained expertise in supplier negotiations, establishing long-term agreements, and understanding the critical interdependencies within the value chain, spending several years at Ford; building a strong foundation for his work in procurement.

In his current role, he now has full responsibility for all procurement activities in the EMIA region.

Lars Bettermann

TITLE: CPO EMIA

COMPANY: BRIDGESTONE

Lars Bettermann is a procurement expert, having 25+ years of professional experience in procurement relevant subjects and project scope. He holds a university degree in business administration. His know-how is based on the operational fundament he built up in the automotive sector enhanced with the methodical and strategic application in strategic sourcing project, being a strategy consultant for more than a decade. Today he is heading procurement at Bridgestone EMIA as a CPO, holding responsibility for all source-to-pay activities across the company.

The evolution of Bridgestone’s business model: from tyres to mobility solutions

Over the course of its nearly hundredyear history, Bridgestone has witnessed significant changes and advancements. Its fundamental product - the tyre - has undergone remarkable developments to become more performant, efficient, safe and sustainable over time.

More than 5 years ago, the company embarked on a transformation into a mobility solutions company to ensure it captures business opportunities arising from data and digital transformation offering efficiency and convenience .