Omer Waysman (Michelin) | Trust at 70 Miles Per Hour - Tires, Dining, and 24 Hours of Le Mans

**Jim Stengel** (0:00)
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What's the first brand you remember as a young boy making an impact on you?

**Omer Waysman** (0:46)
As a young boy, it was Nintendo. I was a gamer, definitely. And I think that they managed to have exactly this balance between the historical mascot heritage from Nintendo and to bring innovation with their device, with the services, et cetera. And I see a lot of similarities in terms of connection to the Michelin brand and how connected you can be from day one to your later stage in your life to the Michelin brand because create experiences. And that's what Nintendo created for me.

**Jim Stengel** (1:18)
Hi, I'm Jim Stengel. I've helped hundreds of major brands discover and activate their purpose.
Because when a brand's purpose is clear, compelling, and authentic, profit naturally follows. Each week, I welcome the CMOs, the chief marketing officers of your favorite brands, to speak to how their job is so much more than marketing. These leaders share their inspiration and challenges along with how they try to build a full, healthy, and happy life in and out of the office. And it's that energy that reaches everyone they touch. And we're glad you're here to feel that energy and to learn from these remarkable leaders. So here we go.
This week we're hitting the road literally as I welcome Omer Waysman, vice president of B2C Marketing for North America at Michelin. Found way back in 1889 in France, Michelin has grown into a $30 billion by revenue global company. While the brand Michelin is the company's largest business, it sports a diverse portfolio including BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, and of course the Michelin Guide. Beyond that, Michelin leverages its material sciences capability in fields such as aeronautics, health care and construction. My guest Omer was born and educated in France. He's been with Michelin for nearly four years, where he leads marketing brand strategy and go-to-market execution. Previously, Omer had senior leadership roles at Danone and Microsoft, where he led global e-commerce and digital growth initiatives across markets and channels. Omer is a graduate of the Sorbonne and HEC Paris, earning a master's in management. One of the many things that drew me to Omer's story is this experience leading marketing in a category where consumers may only make a purchase every 3 to 5 years. That's a fascinating challenge for any marketer. How do you stay relevant, build trust and create long-term loyalty in a low-frequency category? We'll talk a lot about that and a lot more, including how old the Michelin man is. Here's my conversation with a Frenchman who feels perfectly at home in Greenville, South Carolina, which is the North America headquarters of Michelin. Here's Omer.
Omer, welcome to The CMO Podcast. Finally, you've been at Michelin about four years, living and working in Greenville, South Carolina, and you moved there from Paris, correct?

**Omer Waysman** (3:29)
Correct, Jim, correct.

**Jim Stengel** (3:30)
Okay. You're in Paris for this interview, correct?

**Omer Waysman** (3:33)
I am. First of all, thanks for having me, Jim. It was not easy. We had to postpone it a couple of times, but I'm glad that I'm able actually to have some time with you. I am in rainy Paris at the moment, nothing surprising, to be honest.

**Jim Stengel** (3:48)
Well, you're there at the beginning of the World Cup, before the Le Mans race, before the Cannes Festival, so you're in a good place, I have to say.

**Omer Waysman** (3:56)
No, that's fair. That's fair. And also after Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the second time in a row, so that's very true. It's a good place to start, I would say, this summer.

**Jim Stengel** (4:05)
And France is pretty much favored for the World Cup, wouldn't you say? The odds are pretty good.

**Omer Waysman** (4:11)
You know, Jim, I don't like being favorite.

**Jim Stengel** (4:15)
I know the feeling.