Michelin has appointed Giann Vega as its Digital Transformation Leader for East Asia and Australia, bringing experience from consumer goods giants PepsiCo and Unilever to the tyre manufacturer’s APAC digital agenda.
In an exclusive interview with UpTech Media, Vega shared the priorities he will drive in the role, the lessons he is carrying over from FMCG, and his view on how AI should be introduced to Michelin’s teams.
Priorities: Customer journeys, insights and commerce
Vega said his focus is to help accelerate digital transformation across APAC, with an emphasis on enhancing consumer and customer journeys, strengthening consumer insights, and enabling practical applications of AI to drive business value.
A key part of this work is digital commerce. Working with cross-functional teams, Vega will look for opportunities to strengthen Michelin’s capabilities, connecting business priorities with digital tools that improve product discovery, customer engagement and sales conversion.
He also aims to standardise consumer care and social listening processes across markets. “This will help us better understand customer and consumer needs, identify emerging trends, and translate these insights into actionable business opportunities,” he said.
Vega will also work on the digital capabilities and systems that support Michelin’s TyrePlus franchisees. This includes exploring how AI can help sales teams and franchisees make better use of data, uncover growth opportunities and turn insights into concrete actions.
Lessons from FMCG: Consumer centricity
Asked what he will take from PepsiCo and Unilever, Vega pointed to one lesson above all: consumer centricity.
While Michelin is best known for its passenger car, motorcycle and bicycle tyres, Vega noted that its business spans a much broader ecosystem of consumers and B2B customers. This covers urban and long-distance transportation, mining, aviation, motorsport and other activities beyond the road that rely on specialised mobility products and solutions. Each segment, he said, has distinct needs, expectations and customer journeys.
His FMCG experience reinforced the importance of understanding those differences and placing the consumer and customer at the center of how experiences are designed, solutions are developed and growth is pursued.
“Regardless of the market or business segment, the common thread is how we can make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives and help them move forward,” he said.
Scale versus local relevance
On the challenge of building digital customer experiences across diverse markets, Vega said the hardest part is balancing scale with local relevance. APAC markets differ significantly in customer behavior, digital maturity and regulatory environment, meaning an approach that works in one market may not translate to another.
The opportunity, he said, lies in identifying what can be standardized, such as core processes, data foundations and digital capabilities, while giving local teams the flexibility to adapt execution to their customers and market realities.
“This balance is essential to scaling successful initiatives without losing sight of what makes each market unique,” Vega said.
AI transformation: Adoption, use cases and culture
Drawing on his experience across global brands, Vega believes successful AI transformation rests on three things: getting people to adopt it, identifying practical use cases that deliver tangible business value, and a learning culture championed by leadership.
In his view, the real challenge is not introducing the technology but helping people understand where and how it can make a difference, since AI is only as valuable as its integration into the way people work, solve problems and make decisions.
At Michelin, he sees an opportunity to build on existing initiatives such as the Gen AI for All e-learning program and the company’s internal AI tool, helping teams apply them to everyday work. In APAC, he wants to explore how AI-powered analytics can help teams uncover insights more efficiently and turn them into business decisions.
“The priority is to connect AI capabilities with real business needs, rather than adopting technology for its own sake,” he said.
Vega also expects AI to change how consumers discover, evaluate and decide on brands and products. That, he said, creates an opening for Michelin’s teams to anticipate these shifts, rethink how they engage customers and identify new ways to create value.
“Ultimately, I see my role as helping bridge the gap between AI capabilities and business outcomes, empowering people to work smarter, make better decisions, and respond more effectively to an evolving digital landscape,” he concluded.
