Kiwi climbs to top of tyre company
After starting out as a tyre fitter in a New Zealand store, Heath Barclay has risen up through the ranks and will become managing director of Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand from January 2022.
Barclay, pictured, is currently sales director at Bridgestone Australia having previously held positions with the tyre company on both sides of the Tasman.
He started his career in the industry by working as a part-time fitter at his local Firestone store in Dannevirke while still at school.
In 1994, he joined full time as the store’s manager where he attracted the attention of Bridgestone NZ, which was then Firestone, and was offered a management cadet role two years later.
He subsequently worked in roles across the company covering marketing, consumer business and general management.
Barclay relocated to Australia in 2013 to become group general manager of retail and marketing, before later serving as associate director sales and marketing and becoming a member of the board. He moved up to his present sales director job in 2017.
He says he is looking forward to his new post following the company’s announcement of a global strategy – labelled Bridgestone 3.0 – last year.
“Since then we have been laying the foundations to execute this strategy, and I'm honoured to be presented with the opportunity and responsibility of leading Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand through this period,” he adds.
“It’s no secret that I’m passionate about this company having spent half my life working for Bridgestone. As a business, we have significant plans, and we have a great team to bring them to life and realise our mid-long-term strategy.”
Barclay will replace Stephen Roche, who is retiring following three-and-a-half years at the tyre company. Roche’s time as managing director saw the acquisition and integration of Lube Mobile into the Bridgestone business, the launch of the global strategy and navigating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Roche describes Barclay as the ideal candidate as the business seeks to evolve towards becoming a mobility solutions provider.
“This is a fantastic result for our business and for Heath,” he says. “He’s passionate about the company, understands the future direction and no doubt will drive the Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand team towards realising our global and local goals.”
Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand is part of the Bridgestone China and Asia Pacific region structure, and Barclay will report to Agustin Pedroni, the chief operating officer Asia Pacific.
