New Delhi: Peter Tan, managing director of Goodyear Orient Company (Private) Limited (GOCPL), has announced that he will retire at the end of this year after 39 years with the company.

Franco Fan, currently manager, Asia Raw Materials at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Shanghai, China, has been named to succeed Tan at GOCPL. Fan will relocate to Singapore July 1 and work with Tan until his retirement.

Tan joined GOCPL in 1972 as a rubber inspector and became the company’s specification officer in 1974. In 1980, he was appointed manager of natural rubber purchasing, GOCPL. Five years later, he was named assistant managing director, GOCPL and then managing director in 1989.

Prior to joining Goodyear, Tan worked eight years in rubber plantation and processing management positions for Eastern Industries Ltd.

Tan has served as chairman of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce Rubber Association, deputy chairman of the Singapore Commodity Exchange, a member of the working group for Trade and Economic Re-structuring Committee of the Government of Singapore, advisor to the U.S. delegation in International Rubber Organization, a Founding council member of the Stanford Club of Singapore and president of the Rotary Club of Singapore.

Franco joined Goodyear in 2005 as new sourcing manager in the company’s Shanghai office and has held positions of increasing responsibility in the tiremaker’s Akron and Shanghai offices. Prior to joining Goodyear, Franco worked in purchasing and sourcing roles at BASF Corporation and Owens Corning. Franco holds a Masters degree from Wuxi University of Light Industry and a Bachelors degree from Xinjiang University.

GOCPL, established in 1917, is the global natural rubber development and sourcing center for Goodyear worldwide.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs approximately 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com.