Jyotsna came on board as the CFO and Head of IT of Bridgestone India, around two-and-a-half years ago - in April 2018. Since then, she has ensured attentive capacities are in place, thus focusing on maintaining cost control and delegating financial management. Afterall, the tyre industry is highly competitive and market-driven. And yes, digital evolution and safety of her colleagues and business partners have become one of her top priorities during the pandemic.

Raised in a modest and orthodox business family of six daughters, principles such as hard work, humility, and honesty were a natural part of growing up for her. Married at the age of twenty-one, Jyotsna wanted to be more than just a housewife. Thus, she pursued her grinding CA qualification while being a mother of a baby boy.

“I pursued further education and got a professional qualification, CA, in 1994. Not an easy call in any way. The profession itself was demanding and then to be able to garner the support of the larger family was a big task considering the social norms at the time. However, with the great support from my in-laws, my husband Rajesh, and my conviction, I managed to pursue this new path,” Jyotsna recalls.

When asked about what she would attribute to the leadership qualities she has achieved, she reflects on her family background and the formative years of her life. Marriage was the ultimate end-goal for all girls back then, she says. But, her father, who was a civil engineer, and ran a unit into precision tools manufacturing, understood the value of education. He ensured all his daughters received quality higher education. This paid off as all of Jyotsna’s sisters are highly qualified across different streams.

Jyotsna also mentions the underlying importance of financial independence that was ever-present while growing up. These values, coupled with formal education and academics, added to her versatile calibre. However, she says studies were never her cup of tea. Her interests were games, food, and fun. Having done her graduation at BMCC, life was relatively stress-free then.

However, getting married at the early age was a turning point in her life when she braved the conventional social norms at the time and pursued her CA studies. She adds that the journey from 1989-1994 was full of challenges, excitement, courage, and family support. Significant challenges to pursue her CA were to convince the in-laws to allow her to go and live in a hostel and study and to be able to meet social obligations as a newly-wed woman, and not being able to give time to her son.

 “To be able to give my 100% to the studies amidst all of this was quite difficult. However, I always kept my eye on the big picture.”

Jyotsna started her professional career at Kinetic Honda, a manufacturing organisation which, she says, was not perceived to be ideal for women and had limitations to growth. “But that made me work even harder. However, it was a role of my choice, and I worked with them for nine years, and those were my formative career years. A combination of experience at Firodiya, a well-respected business house and a Japanese business brand is great learning for any finance professional. I took additional responsibilities on multiple functions and projects to rise the ladder at a good pace as by now; I had found my Ikigai- a reason to live.”

 “Amidst all this, the family challenges continued as my husband Rajesh had moved to Singapore, and I single-handedly attended to our son”.

At the workplace, she always ensures that she works hard and does everything from grassroots and is never bothered about her designation and qualification as, for her, that is a means and not an end. “Over the years, I worked on building and strengthening relationships and never really kept any limitations to what I wanted to achieve.”

COVID has turned the auto industry upside down. New normal is becoming a part of life and businesses as well. Whereas the challenges of COVID have been unprecedented, it also brought new ways of doing businesses. Now employee safety is becoming a top priority, while digital evolution is bringing a new era ahead of the industry.

At Bridgestone, Jyotsna says, the safety of their people and safeguarding their operations have been the topmost priority. Ever since COVID first hit the country, the company took proactive measures to not only keep the people safe but, also streamline operations in the wake of new normal. Furthermore, at the back of accelerated digitisation, Bridgestone India has been able to bring the right solutions for its consumers as well as ensure the same levels of productivity within the organisation. 

When asked about how she feels about working in such a dynamic industry, Jyotsna says, “The automobile industry is where my professional career is slated. Kinetic Honda, SKF Bearings, NRB Bearings, Sandvik Asia and now Bridgestone are my performing turfs. One side of the industry, i.e., channel partners, are the same - similar channels set up requirements, risks, opportunities, and expectations of the partners. What differs is the strength of the product and strength of the competitor. Bridgestone, with its world-class Japanese technology in tyre manufacturing, is one of the leading and most trusted brands with all the strengths on the product, manufacturing, and innovation.” 

“The market in India is huge, and the progressive growth and demographics of the country are definitely positive. At Bridgestone India, we are financially secure with a good product range, best manufacturing facilities, substantial market share, reliable channel partners and an ambitious and committed workforce. The biggest risk is getting complacent and losing focus on cost. The tyre industry is competitive, and market driven. Also, the capacities are in place, thus keeping focus and maintaining cost control is the financial management challenge which is exciting.”

Like everyone, COVID has influenced Jyotsna’s personal and professional life. According to her, COVID was a blessing in disguise to be able to spend all this time at home and spending time to call and check on all near and dear ones, reconnecting, rejuvenating were positives in this situation.

However, work from home bears multiple challenges and ,for her the divide between official work and domestic duties was practically invisible. As the Head of IT and CFO, Jyotsna had a great responsibility to ensure the digital solutions were up and running and without causing the loss of productivity at the same time managing concerns around security and support. “As a CFO, a time to complete FY 20 financials and audits, and the Mid-term – 3 years business plan process which were very challenging.”

“But I would say the times have tested my abilities to stay strong under all situations. I would like to say this to my fellow leaders that encourage your teams throughout and keep the work exciting as always. This will ensure a positive sentiment in these trying times.”

As much as work is refreshing with so much happening, Jyotsna does take personal time to recharge. She loves to drive and have been doing rallies like Raid the Himalaya, Desert Storm, Spice Challenge. She has also done international driving vacations.

 “Amidst the lockdown, I recently drove to Bangalore to be with my son Prateek. The memory of absolutely traffic-free roads and my car racing at 230-250 with confidence to touch Bangalore from Pune non-stop in 9 hours was wonderful. We drove through Kabini and spent a holiday together, making memories.”

“I also like to read, so I took this opportunity to download the most read books Ikigai, Atomic Habits, Just do It – the Nike story and many more.”

 “Netflix was another relaxing way to spend some time, and the most exciting watch for me was Drills apart from many others. I love to socialise and continued e-socialising as well.”

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Infiniteria has appointed Proman as its Engineering, Procurement and Construction partner for a circular tyre recycling facility in Uddevalla, Sweden. This collaboration marks a decisive move towards establishing what the company describes as Europe’s leading circular tyre recycling business, with the Uddevalla site serving as the cornerstone for a future network of industrial-scale plants across the continent.

The company specialises in transforming end-of-life tyres into high-value recovered materials, aiming to accelerate the transition to a more resilient circular economy. The Uddevalla facility stands as Infiniteria’s flagship project and represents the initial phase of a broader European expansion strategy.

Committed offtake agreements are already in place with major customers including Preem, Nokian Tyres and Michelin, underscoring strong industrial demand for the recovered materials.

Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, CEO, Infiniteria, said, “Bringing Proman on board as our partner is a major step forward for Uddevalla. They have a proven track record in delivering complex industrial plants, and the discipline and capability they bring mark a decisive step towards starting operations. We are fully committed to Uddevalla as the long-term home of our flagship facility, to our customers and to building Europe’s leading circular tyre recycling business.”

Francisco Carlos, Managing Director, Proman Portugal, said, “We appreciate the confidence and trust placed in Proman by Infiniteria as we take on the role of Engineering, Procurement and Construction partner in the Uddevalla project. Proman brings strong global expertise and experience to the project, including project management, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of complex industrial facilities. We look forward to working with Infiniteria to progress the Uddevalla project towards successful completion.”

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Tyres Europe has released replacement tyre sales data for the first quarter of 2026, with the industry showing early signs of recovery according to an assessment by Secretary General Adam McCarthy. The figures from member companies reveal that consumer tyre segments, including passenger car, SUV and light commercial vehicle categories, rose by one percent compared to the first quarter of 2025. This modest growth follows a weak performance across the previous year.

McCarthy noted that the recovery was uneven across different tyre types. All Season tyres continued their strong momentum with a five percent increase, driven by consumer demand for year-round versatility, while summer tyres slipped by one percent as they lost further ground to all season alternatives. Winter tyres posted a sharp decline of 14 percent, which the Secretary General attributed to mild weather conditions across much of Europe. Members’ sales significantly outpaced imports, which were impacted by European produced tyres and possible regulatory action. Travel demand remained subdued during the quarter, with higher fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict affecting the market from March.

Other segments reflected a mixed landscape. Truck and bus tyres edged up one percent, supported by improved freight activity and business sentiment before recent geopolitical developments and rising fuel costs created uncertainty. Agricultural tyres declined 11 percent amid continued caution in farm investment. In contrast, the moto and scooter tyre segment recorded a more positive six percent gain, according to the Tyres Europe report.

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Hankook Tire & Technology reported a sharp rise in first-quarter operating profit, supported by stronger sales of electric vehicle tyres and replacement tyres across key markets including Europe, Korea and China.

The South Korean tyre maker said consolidated revenue for the three months to March reached USD 3.63 billion, up 7 percent from a year earlier, while operating profit rose 42.9 per cent to USD 345.9 million.

Sales in the group’s tyre business increased 9.3 percent year-on-year to USD 1.75 billion. Operating profit in the division rose 31.1 percent to USD 298.6 million, representing an operating margin of 17.1 percent.

The company said demand for original equipment tyres supplied to electric vehicle and hybrid models, alongside higher replacement tyre sales, supported performance despite continued uncertainty linked to tariffs and elevated oil prices.

Hankook Tire said tyres measuring 18 inches and above accounted for 49.1 percent of total passenger car and light truck tyre sales in the quarter, up 2 percentage points from a year earlier. Electric vehicle tyres represented 29.6 percent of original equipment passenger car and light truck tyre sales, an increase of 6.6 percentage points year-on-year.

The company expanded original equipment tyre supply during the quarter for both internal combustion engine and electric vehicle models produced by Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Ford.

Hankook Tire said it currently supplies original equipment tyres to about 50 automotive brands across roughly 300 vehicle models, including Porsche.

The company also continued to expand its iON electric vehicle tyre range, which now covers about 300 specifications from 16-inch to 22-inch tyres.

Its thermal management subsidiary Hanon Systems reported first-quarter sales of USD 1.88 billion, up 5 percent year-on-year, while operating profit rose more than fourfold to USD 66.3 million.

Hankook Tire said it continued to expand production capacity at its Tennessee plant in the US and its Hungary facility in Europe as part of efforts to strengthen global supply capabilities.

The company said it aims to raise the proportion of high-inch tyres to 51 percent and electric vehicle tyres to more than 33 percent of passenger car and light truck original equipment tyre sales.

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, supported all competitors during the 2026 Hankook Berlin E-Prix. The double-header at Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit featured Hankook’s iON Race tyre, which was pushed to its limits by the venue’s rough concrete surface and a fast, 15-corner layout. Rounds 7 and 8 of Season 12 unfolded across two days on the 2.374-kilometre anticlockwise circuit, where tyre preservation and energy efficiency became critical success factors.

The abrasive concrete apron at Tempelhof forced drivers to carefully manage degradation, while the Turn 2 ATTACK MODE zone added a recurring strategic puzzle. Hankook’s iON Race rubber delivered steady grip and predictable handling as track conditions shifted between Saturday and Sunday. The double header demanded consistent tyre behaviour, with teams adjusting to changing rubber build up and surface temperatures over the two race days.

Nico Müller secured his first Formula E victory in Round 7, holding off Nick Cassidy and Oliver Rowland through disciplined energy management. In Round 8, Mitch Evans produced a remarkable comeback from last on the grid, passing Oliver Rowland and Pascal Wehrlein with a late decisive move to take the win. Both performances highlighted the tyre’s balance of durability and performance under racing stress.

Off track, the Berlin weekend drew large crowds to Hankook’s Fan Village, where interactive displays featured iON tyres on electric vehicles. The brand also partnered with DS Automobiles to debut the DS N°7 model. Following the Tempelhof races, the Formula E season now heads to Monaco for the next rounds on 16 and 17 May.

Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director of Hankook Motorsport, said, "The Berlin double-header confirmed the resilience of the iON Race under some of the most demanding surface conditions in Formula E. Running two races at Tempelhof provided valuable insight into how the tyre responds to sustained abrasion across a full race weekend. The competitive racing and strategic variation across both days reflected the tyre’s ability to operate within a broad performance window, and these insights will support ongoing development alongside the championship."

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