Dunlop Tires North America (DTNA), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, has named Robert Liu assistant vice president of product management. In the role, Liu will lead product development for the Dunlop and Falken brands and oversee passenger light truck (PLT) and truck and bus radial (TBR) products with the product management team.
The appointment brings a 30-year tire and automotive industry veteran into a position focused on the next phase of product innovation and growth. DTNA said Liu’s background spans product development, sales and product management, giving him experience across technical and commercial parts of the tire business.
Career spans engineering, R&D and regional leadership
Liu began his career as a simulation engineer at General Motors. He then spent 27 years at Continental Tire, where he held roles in product R&D, sales and product management.
His time at Continental included five years in Shanghai as an expatriate, leading product management and R&D for the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, he led R&D for the American region, focusing on replacement PLT tires.
Product portfolio responsibilities
At DTNA, Liu’s mandate covers product development intended to bring competitive solutions to market. The portfolio responsibility includes PLT and TBR products, reaching both passenger and commercial vehicle segments.
DTNA said Liu will work with a product management team on that effort. The company linked the appointment to its push to advance product strategy across Dunlop and Falken.
The position combines product planning with development oversight. DTNA said Liu will spearhead product development and manage both PLT and TBR lines through the product management team, connecting brand-level strategy with replacement and commercial tire programs.
Leadership view
Ken Hsu, DTNA’s vice president of marketing, said the company was pleased to welcome Liu. Hsu cited Liu’s tire-industry experience and leadership record as well aligned with DTNA’s innovation and growth objectives, and said his insights are expected to benefit product strategy.
The appointment places an engineer-turned-product executive at the center of DTNA’s portfolio planning. Liu’s prior work in Asia-Pacific and American R&D, together with his sales and product management experience, is the background DTNA is drawing on as it develops replacement and commercial tire offerings.
Liu’s career path has moved from simulation engineering into broader product and regional management. At Continental, his assignments covered R&D, sales and product management before he took regional R&D leadership for the American market. DTNA is now applying that mix of technical and market-facing experience to its product management organization.