Opinions expressed by entrepreneurs’ colleagues are their very own.
When we received the opportunity to interview Marek Stewart, General Director of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, with the famous Blimp Goodyear, we took the opportunity. Finally – all of us know the brand. We should: This is a company from the Fortune 500 list, has 68,000 employees around the world and achieved over $ 18 billion in revenues in 2024.
We met Marek and his team in the Hangar in Akron, Ohio and we interviewed the iconic Blimp on the background, which is not surprisingly huge. The first story he told was like Goodyear Rungs were used during World War II As anti -Semaryt support. As the owner of the company, it is amazing to keep in mind that this company is nearby for so long, and 2) has turned, modified, evolved, growing up, etc. in many ways.
Marek Stewart’s path to the automotive industry began early. His grandfather was a mechanic, his father worked in tires and grew up around the tools and trade. This knowledge of vehicles eventually led him to engineering and production, including a five -year stay in Stellantis, before she took the role of CEO in Goodyear. His profession was not mapped in some excellent arch – it was built by a mixture of possibilities and a desire to undertake what got here. Our conversation didn’t apply to large turning points, but about sticking to work and adaptation along the way.
We spent a lot of time talking about the Forward plan, which is the current strategy of the company involving the modernization of operations and culture. Stewart emphasized the pursuit of Goodyear position in the tire industry – not only in terms of brand recognition, but also performance. When I asked what it was like to run a 126-year-old brand, he joked: “Don’t mess.” There is clearly pressure, but he didn’t prefer it. Simply stood the awareness of what is threatened and what requires repair.
In a conversation that stuck practical observations with me. One was around the importance of regional production – building tires closer to the place where they might be sold, not only for logistics, but also to remain in harmony with local markets. Another concerned retail sales. While some can avoid direct surgery to the consumer, Stewart perceives Goodyear’s retail trail as an advantage. It gives them closeness to customers and more control over experience.
We have also affected wider topics resembling electric vehicles, tariffs and artificial intelligence – especially how tire sensors can play a greater role in the future of vehicle performance and safety. His approach was not speculative; He focused on what is true and what is under the control of the company. This is a motive that appeared several times: build the right products, stay close to your people and let the noise remain outside.
In the conversation, I liked the hearing about grandfather and father Marek the most. He seemed really interested in what he did and seemed to take care of the Goodyear brand. Mark is about a yr and a half as a CEO and I’m interested to see what they have in the future.
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When we received the opportunity to interview Marek Stewart, General Director of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, with the famous Blimp Goodyear, we took the opportunity. Finally – all of us know the brand. We should: This is a company from the Fortune 500 list, has 68,000 employees around the world and achieved over $ 18 billion in revenues in 2024.
We met Marek and his team in the Hangar in Akron, Ohio and we interviewed the iconic Blimp on the background, which is not surprisingly huge. The first story he told was like Goodyear Rungs were used during World War II As anti -Semaryt support. As the owner of the company, it is amazing to keep in mind that this company is nearby for so long, and 2) has turned, modified, evolved, growing up, etc. in many ways.
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