Dunlop Tires North America (DTNA), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., has appointed Robert Liu as assistant vice president of product management, the company announced from its Rancho Cucamonga, California base. Liu brings more than 30 years of experience in the tire and automotive industries and is expected to help steer the Dunlop and Falken brands into their next phase of product innovation and growth.
Liu began his career as a simulation engineer at General Motors and then spent 27 years at Continental Tire, where he held roles spanning product R&D, sales and product management. He spent five years based in Shanghai as an expatriate, leading product management and R&D for the Asia-Pacific region, and most recently directed R&D for the American region with a focus on replacement passenger light truck (PLT) tires.
In the new position, Liu will lead product development with the aim of bringing competitive solutions to market, and will oversee PLT and truck and bus radial (TBR) products together with the product management team.
Ken Hsu, DTNA's vice president of marketing, said the company was pleased to welcome Liu and that his experience and demonstrated leadership in the tire industry fit its goals for innovation and growth. Hsu added that Liu's insights are expected to benefit the company's product strategies as it moves forward.