Continental AG has announced that Christian Kötz will become chief executive officer and chairman of the Executive Board from 1st January 2026, succeeding Nikolai Setzer who will step down by mutual agreement on 31st December 2025.
The leadership transition comes as Continental approaches the final stages of its transformation into a dedicated tyre company, following the spin-off of Aumovio and the agreement to sell its Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) business area.
Setzer, who has served 16 years on the Executive Board including five as CEO, described the timing as appropriate given the "significant progress made with Continental's realignment."
"I announced some time ago that I would hand over responsibility once we had made sufficient progress in our transformation into a pure-play tyre manufacturer. This is now the case," Setzer explained. "We've successfully spun off Aumovio, and the sale of OESL is nearing completion."
Internal preparations for the sale of ContiTech, scheduled for 2026, have been largely completed. The market outreach phase has concluded, with the structured sales process set to begin in January 2026.
Kötz, the incoming CEO, compared the handover to a relay race: "The handoff must happen at full speed. Niko has laid all the groundwork for the company's realignment. Parallel to the sale of ContiTech, we can now enter the phase where we make the final preparations for our future as a pure-play tyre manufacturer."
From 2026, Continental's tyre business will be organised around three regional business areas – EMEA, Americas and APAC – alongside globally managed original equipment and speciality tyre segments. Kötz said this structure would "allow us to better balance regional and global management going forward."
The new CEO acknowledged significant challenges ahead, particularly from Asian manufacturers entering European and North American markets with low-cost exports. "Our premium tyres give us a clear technological and brand advantage, which we must continue to strengthen whilst continuously working on a competitive cost structure," he said.
Kötz emphasised that Continental's strong replacement tyre market position provides resilience compared with traditional automotive suppliers dependent on new vehicle sales. However, he noted that moderately growing global tyre markets make efficiency improvements and capitalising on profitable growth opportunities increasingly important.
Reflecting on his tenure, Setzer highlighted the creation of "three strong, independent champions" from Continental's group sectors as a defining achievement. "That's something we can all be proud of," he said.
Looking ahead to retirement, Setzer said he would miss his colleagues and Continental's unique culture, but looked forward to spending more time with family, playing music and staying active. True to form, he confirmed he would personally ensure the Executive Board fields a relay team at the Hanover marathon – this time as the team's "marathon-relay consultant."
Kötz, who has extensive experience across the tyre industry, described his leadership approach as being defined by "respect for the task ahead and humility for the responsibility I've been given." He expressed particular enthusiasm for working closely with employees and customers whilst maintaining Continental's corporate culture of mutual support and top performance.
The Supervisory Board unanimously appointed Kötz to the role, signalling confidence in his ability to lead Continental through its final transformation into an independent listed tyre company.
Tagged with: Continental CEO, Christian Kötz, Nikolai Setzer, Aumovio spin-off, ContiTech sale, OESL transaction, tyre market Europe, premium tyres, replacement market, OE fitments
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