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Goodyear said in Akron, Ohio, on November 9 that Mark Stewart is stepping down immediately as chief executive officer, president and a board member. Director Roger Wood has been appointed interim CEO while the tire maker searches for a permanent successor, a leadership change that comes as an existing board committee reviews the company’s strategy and operations.
The company’s announcement did not give a specific cause for Stewart’s departure. Board Chair Joe Hinrichs said the board considered this the right time to change leadership and accelerate the company’s progress. That is the board’s explanation; the release does not establish misconduct, a dispute or a particular financial event behind the decision.
Wood has served on Goodyear’s board since 2023 and previously was co-chief executive of automotive supplier Tenneco. He also serves on the boards of PHINIA and Brunswick. In taking the interim operating role, he is stepping down as chair of Goodyear’s human capital and compensation committee.
The board is working with an executive search firm to find a permanent CEO. No successor or appointment date was named. Wood said his immediate priorities include supporting employees and customers, improving execution and advancing the transformation work already under way.
The strategic review is not a new committee created with Monday’s CEO announcement. Goodyear said its special committee was formed earlier this year and is evaluating the company’s business mix, operating footprint, efficiency and investment in products and capabilities. The board and Enterprise Transformation Office are continuing that work.
For employees, suppliers and customers, the distinction matters: a review can shape future decisions, but it is not itself an announced factory closure, asset sale or reduction in jobs. Monday’s release did not identify a new transaction, affected facility or staffing plan, and it did not quantify savings expected from the review.
A separate finance leadership change remains ahead. Goodyear reiterated its October 27 announcement that Jerome Rouquet will become executive vice president and chief financial officer on December 1. Rouquet, currently Visteon’s CFO, is to succeed interim CFO Scott Deakin. That appointment has been announced, but its effective date has not yet arrived.
Goodyear says it employs about 60,000 people and manufactures products at 46 facilities in 19 countries. The scale of that network makes the direction of its operating review important beyond the executive office. However, the company did not announce a change to customer service, production commitments or its factory network in this release.
The unanswered questions are who will take the permanent CEO role, when the search will finish and what specific actions emerge from the review. Goodyear said it does not intend to provide further updates unless its board determines additional disclosure is appropriate or required. The announcement changes leadership now, while leaving the next operating decisions open.
JBizNews Desk | Akron, Ohio
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