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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Linglong Tire hosted legendary Brazilian full-back Roberto Carlos at its headquarters in Zhaoyuan from 14 to 16 August 2026. The Real Madrid official ambassador’s visit included high-level meetings with the tyre manufacturer’s senior management, alongside engagements with key clients and commercial partners. His itinerary featured a comprehensive tour of the company’s primary production facility and an in-depth briefing on its smart manufacturing systems.

The former Real Madrid star explored the firm’s research and development centre and evaluated the Sino-Asia test track, recognised as China’s largest and most advanced proving ground. Carlos expressed considerable admiration for the facility’s professionalism and scale, particularly noting the colossal 63-inch off-the-road tyre displayed at the headquarters. His schedule also included a panel discussion with Linglong Chairman Wang Feng and CEO Lingkun ‘Andy’ Zhou.

Linglong Tire has served as Real Madrid’s Global Tire Partner since 2024, a commitment that extends into the 2026/2027 season. The partnership is activated as the nine-time European champions prepare for their La Liga opener against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu on 26 August. As part of the agreement, the Linglong brand secures prominent visibility on the stadium’s digital perimeter boards for all domestic league and cup fixtures.

Additional sponsorship benefits include logo placement on partner boards and the official club website, along with VIP hospitality packages. The collaboration also features advertisements in Real Madrid’s digital and print publications, television spots on the club’s official channel and extensive integration into the club’s media activities, solidifying Linglong’s presence within the Spanish giants’ commercial framework.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced the presentation of findings from an international joint research project for developing technologies to prevent and control rubber tree leaf fall diseases. Lead researcher Minami Matsui delivered a public lecture on 1 August, addressing the global history of rubber trees and collaborative measures against Leaf Fall Disease, which has significantly reduced production in affected regions.

Yokohama Rubber participates as a cooperating corporation in this initiative, which aims to achieve sustainable natural rubber production through disease management. The project has been selected under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development programme, jointly implemented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This international effort unites Japanese and Indonesian institutions, focusing on Indonesia as the world's second-largest natural rubber producer, where Leaf Fall Disease has severely curtailed output. The research targets smallholder farmers, who account for over 90 percent of the nation's production, by utilising pesticides to combat the disease.

Minami Matsui (left) and co-researcher Emiko Kurihara, Assistant Professor at Keio University

Since the project launched in 2020, research has progressed from pesticide screening to field evaluations at institutional test farms and corporate plantations, and then to smallholder farm assessments beginning in September 2025. Throughout each phase, Yokohama Rubber has investigated pesticide residues in natural rubber latex and evaluated their effects on rubber properties, confirming that proper application does not compromise quality. All field evaluations have demonstrated the selected pesticides' effectiveness, and the project is now advancing towards the practical phase, including securing pesticide registration for Indonesian use.

This research aligns with Yokohama Rubber's Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber, which includes supporting small-scale farmers. The company also participates as an official partner in another SATREPS project focused on utilising rubber seeds for green products to address global warming and plastic pollution.

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NEXEN TIRE is intensifying its transition to renewable energy across its domestic manufacturing facilities, marking a significant step in its long-term sustainability strategy. The company is advancing this effort through a combination of external power purchase agreements and the expansion of on-site solar generation at its Yangsan and Changnyeong plants.

A key component of this initiative involves a Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) inked with SK Innovation E&S, which allows the tyre manufacturer to secure renewable electricity directly from producers via a long-term contract. Beginning in November, the Yangsan plant will receive approximately four megawatts of onshore wind and solar power, with an anticipated yearly output of six gigawatt-hours. This supply is expected to cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Parallel to the DPPA, NEXEN TIRE is bolstering its self-generation capabilities. Rooftop solar systems at the Changnyeong facility, currently under lease, will be transitioned to company-owned generation as leases expire, targeting a total capacity exceeding 10 megawatts by 2028. This shift will convert roughly 9 percent of the plant’s electricity use to renewable sources, while the Yangsan plant is also evaluating similar proprietary solar installations.

Given its substantial presence in Europe and its role as an original equipment supplier to premium automakers, NEXEN TIRE faces increasing pressure from clients to lower production-related emissions. The company has already secured Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation for its goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 58.8 percent from a 2023 baseline by 2034, reinforcing that environmental performance is now a critical competitive factor in its key markets.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, "The shift to renewable energy is not merely a response to regulations but a strategic investment to secure sustainable competitiveness in the global market. We will continue to expand the adoption of renewable energy across our production sites both in Korea and abroad in a phased manner."

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Nokian Tyres has achieved a significant milestone in the 2026 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), securing a total score of 80 points. This evaluation examines sustainability factors that are critical to long-term corporate performance, with a strong emphasis on risk management, organisational adaptability and overall resilience. The company views this result as a clear validation of its strategic approach.

The assessment awarded the tyre manufacturer perfect scores in several key categories, including Climate Risk Management, Raw Materials Programs, Information Security Policy and Human Rights Mitigation and Remediation. Company leadership has acknowledged that this accomplishment is rooted in the deep integration of sustainable practices across daily operations, product innovation and long-term value generation.

Nokian Tyres also stressed that responsible expansion relies heavily on collaborative efforts with employees and partners, reinforcing that sustainable decisions are fundamental to building resilience in a rapidly evolving global environment.

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