(From left) Nikolai Setzer and Christian Kötz

The Supervisory Board of Continental AG confirmed a significant leadership transition during its meeting on 17 December 2025. Christian Kötz will be appointed as the new Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026. He succeeds Nikolai Setzer, who will step down from the Executive Board on 31 December 2025. Setzer's departure follows more than 16 years as a board member, including the last five years in the CEO role, and occurs by mutual agreement as the company reaches a pivotal point in its strategic evolution.

This planned change in leadership aligns with the substantial progress Continental has made in its transformation into a pure-play tyre company. Major structural milestones have been achieved, including the spin-off of Aumovio and the signing of an agreement to sell the Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) business area. Regarding the planned 2026 sale of ContiTech, internal preparations are largely complete. The market outreach phase has concluded, and a structured sales process is scheduled to begin in January 2026, setting the stage for the final step in the corporate realignment.

Kötz’s extensive background within the tyre business, dating back to 1996, positions him to lead this final phase. A member of the Executive Board since 2019, his previous leadership roles within the Tires group sector included responsibility for the passenger car tyre replacement business in the EMEA region, the original equipment and commercial vehicle tyre business units and global research and development for passenger car tyres. His many years of trusted collaboration with Nikolai Setzer are expected to ensure continuity during the transition.

Kötz will lead an Executive Board comprising several key figures. Alongside him and Philip Nelles, who has headed the ContiTech group sector since 2021, are Roland Welzbacher and Ulrike Hintze. Welzbacher joined the board in August 2025 and assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer on 1 October 2025. Hintze was appointed to the board on 1 July 2025, serving as Chief Human Resources Officer and Director of Labour Relations. This board will be responsible for driving the tyre business forward, completing the corporate realignment and, following the sale of ContiTech, integrating the remaining group functions into the tyre organisation.

Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman of Continental’s Supervisory Board, said, “Nikolai Setzer has been instrumental in shaping Continental, realigning the organisation and paving the way for three strong, independent companies. For this, he has the thanks of the entire Supervisory Board as well as my personal gratitude. With this handover, we are consolidating responsibility for the tyre business, the realignment and the remaining tasks of the group functions in one role. Christian Kötz is one of the most distinguished managers in the global tyre industry. With his extensive experience and passion for Continental, we firmly believe he is the right choice to lead the company successfully into the future.”

Setzer said, “In recent years, we have succeeded in transforming a diverse portfolio of businesses into three strong, independent champions. After 28 years at Continental, now is the right time for me to hand over responsibility to Christian Kötz. I’m extremely grateful for the journey we’ve all shared and proud of what we’ve all achieved together. I firmly believe that the tyre business, ContiTech, Aumovio and OESL have a promising future ahead.”

Kötz said, “I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for its trust and am excited about this new responsibility. Continental has been my professional home for three decades. Together with the Executive Board team and all colleagues throughout the company, we will complete the realignment and continue the success story of our tyre business.”

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) has expanded its partnerships in India’s premier men’s T20 cricket league to eight teams, adding Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the upcoming season as it seeks to strengthen its position in the country’s consumer tyre market.

The company said its BKT Tyres brand would continue as Official Tyre Partner to Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, alongside the newly added Bengaluru franchise.

The move comes as BKT advances its entry into India’s consumer tyre segment, using the tournament as a platform to expand visibility and engage a broader customer base, including commercial operators and private vehicle owners.

The partnerships are structured as long-term arrangements, incorporating stadium branding, broadcast integrations, dealer activations and digital campaigns aimed at strengthening fan engagement.

Rajiv Poddar, JMD of BKT, said: “Partnering with sporting institutions has always been central to BKT’s philosophy of Growing Together with communities. Cricket is one of the most influential cultural forces in India, uniting people across geographies, generations and backgrounds. Our continued partnerships as the Official Tyre Partner under the BKT Tyres brand allow us to connect with audiences in a meaningful way while strengthening our presence in the tyre segment. Through this association, we will further amplify our ‘Elevate Your Drive’ campaign featuring Ranveer Singh across broadcast and digital touchpoints, bringing the campaign’s message of ambition, progress and forward momentum to millions of viewers. These collaborations reflect our commitment to building long-term relationships founded on teamwork, performance and shared aspirations.”

Venky Mysore, Chief Executive of Kolkata Knight Riders, said: “BKT Tyres is not just a partner they are a brand that shares our relentless pursuit of performance. This renewed association is a testament to the trust we have built together and the ambition we carry forward. As BKT accelerates its growth in India's consumer market, the Knight Riders brand gives them the platform, the passion, and the global scale to make that journey count. At Knight Riders Sports, we do not build partnerships for visibility alone we build them for impact. This collaboration is precisely that: two performance-driven organisations, aligned in purpose, investing in a future they intend to win together.”

Rajesh Menon, Chief Executive of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, said: “Royal Challengers Bengaluru is proud to welcome BKT Tyres as our Official Tyre Partner. At RCB, we believe in pushing boundaries, embracing ambition, and creating meaningful connections with our fans, values that closely align with BKT’s ‘Elevate Your Drive’ philosophy. Together, we aim to accelerate our shared vision of excellence, resilience, and forward momentum both on and off the field.”

K Shanmugam, Chief Executive of Sunrisers Hyderabad, said: “We are happy to continue our partnership with BKT Tyres as part of this T20 cricket league. This collaboration reflects a strong alignment of values, bringing together a shared focus on excellence, performance, and consistency. Together, we move forward with clear intent, committed to raising standards both on and off the field, while delivering a meaningful and engaging experience for fans.”

Alok Chitre, Chief Operating Officer of Rajasthan Royals, said: “We are delighted to partner with BKT Tyres for the sixth year, with a shared energy and drive for performance that continues to strengthen our association. Their commitment to sport, and cricket specifically, reflects a clear focus on the growth of the game and its fan ecosystem in India. As we advance in scale and influence, we look forward to building on this partnership in a meaningful way this year as well.”

A Mumbai Indians spokesperson said: “BKT Tyres has been a valued long-term partner of Mumbai Indians, and this continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to consistency and performance. We look forward to building on this partnership through the season.”

Colonel Arvinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer of Gujarat Titans, said: “Gujarat Titans are pleased to continue the association with BKT Tyres. Partnerships like these reflect a shared commitment to performance, consistency and long-term growth. Such collaborations provide a strong platform for teams and brands to connect with fans across the world, and we look forward to building on this association while continuing to engage meaningfully with our supporters and striving for excellence both on and off the field.”

Satish Menon, Chief Executive of Punjab Kings, said: “We are very happy to continue our journey with BKT Tyres. They have been a loyal and valued partner for the Punjab Kings over the years. Their commitment to excellence matches our ambitions, and it is always a pleasure to work with a brand that understands the pulse of the sport and its fans so well.”

Vinay Chopra, Chief Executive of RPSG Sports Private Limited, said: “At Lucknow Super Giants, we believe that strong partnerships are built on shared values of performance, resilience, and ambition. Our association with BKT Tyres reflects this synergy, as both brands are committed to pushing boundaries and consistently striving for excellence. As we gear up for another exciting season, we look forward to engaging our fans more deeply and creating meaningful experiences together through this partnership.”

BKT said its sports partnerships form part of a broader global portfolio spanning multiple disciplines, aimed at reinforcing brand visibility and consumer engagement.

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Goodyear India Limited said its board has taken note of the resignation of Abhishek Arora as Director – Human Resources, India, with effect from April 20, 2026, and approved the appointment of Vishal Dhingra as HR Director, South Asia from April 21, 2026.

Arora, who will also cease to be a senior management personnel member on April 20, 2026, resigned to explore external growth opportunities, according to the company.

The board approved Dhingra’s appointment following the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. He will assume the role as a senior management personnel from April 21, 2026.

Dhingra has more than 25 years of experience in human resources. He joined Goodyear in July 2020 as Director HR – India and currently serves as HR Director – ASEANZ. Prior to this, he held roles at PepsiCo, India, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Limited, Eicher Tractors and Ballarpur Industries Limited.

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India has concluded that imports of emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (ESBR) of the 1500 series from the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Russia and Thailand were dumped, following an anti-dumping investigation initiated in March 2025.

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, found that dumping margins across all subject countries were above the de minimis threshold and “significant”.

The investigation was launched after Reliance Industries Limited filed an application alleging injury from imports of the product, which is widely used in tyre manufacturing and other rubber goods. The authority determined that the application met the requirements for standing, with support from Indian Synthetic Rubber Private Limited.

The product under consideration, ESBR-1500, is primarily used in tyres due to its abrasion resistance and ageing stability. The DGTR concluded that domestically produced material is comparable to imported goods and can be used interchangeably.

The period of investigation covered October 2023 to September 2024, with injury analysis spanning four financial years. During this time, imports from the subject countries rose overall and accounted for more than 90 per cent of total imports throughout the period.

The authority found that import volumes were highest during the investigation period and had increased relative to domestic production and consumption.

Dumping margins varied by country. Imports from the European Union and Japan were found to have margins in the range of 10–20 per cent, while Russia showed higher margins of 20–30 per cent. South Korea and Thailand recorded lower ranges, generally between 0–10 per cent for cooperating producers and up to 10–20 per cent for others.

The DGTR conducted a cumulative assessment of imports, concluding that goods from the subject countries compete with each other and with domestic production in the Indian market.

On injury, the authority determined that increased imports had affected the domestic industry through price suppression and declining profitability. It noted that while demand for the product rose steadily, the domestic industry’s financial performance weakened over the same period.

The DGTR also rejected arguments that the injury was caused by internal inefficiencies or raw material volatility, stating that such fluctuations were global and not specific to India.

The authority concluded that dumped imports had caused material injury to the domestic industry, establishing a causal link between import volumes and the deterioration in financial performance.

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Fornnax Technology, a global leader in recycling equipment manufacturing, has officially brought Sushil Upadhyay on board as the new Head of its Service Department, a leadership transition that takes effect immediately. With a professional background spanning over 26 years, Upadhyay arrives with extensive experience drawn from multiple multinational corporations. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed and coordinated large, cross-functional teams comprising more than 300 professionals. Within his new capacity at Fornax, his primary focus will involve steering strategic transformations within the service domain, with the objective of optimising equipment reliability, maximising value across the lifecycle of machinery and elevating the sustained performance of the company’s worldwide installed base of industrial recycling solutions.

In the coming year, the service division under his leadership is set to concentrate on a series of clearly defined operational objectives. Key among these is the effort to curtail instances of unexpected machinery downtime by integrating both preventive and predictive maintenance approaches. The team also intends to roll out measurable performance benchmarks for service delivery, which will include tracking metrics such as speed of response, Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and overall equipment uptime. Moreover, there will be a concerted push to reinforce the availability of spare components by optimising regional warehousing and distribution processes.

Further developments on the agenda involve the creation and delivery of well-structured training modules targeting technical expertise and workplace safety, aimed at enhancing the capabilities of service personnel. In parallel, the organisation plans to introduce digital tools designed to boost transparency in operations and enable customers to more effectively monitor service activities. These combined efforts underscore Fornnax’s commitment to evolving its service infrastructure in response to growing demands for efficiency and reliability.

Jignesh Kundaria, Director & CEO, Fornnax, said, “Our people are the true engine behind our innovation and execution. As we scale globally and expand our footprint across diverse recycling applications, cultivating a culture of excellence remains central to our strategy. In 2026, we are intensifying our focus on talent development, leadership growth and building a high-ownership, high-accountability environment that drives continuous improvement across engineering, manufacturing, and service. This will set new benchmarks in the industry, and I believe Upadhyay will play a crucial role in this journey.”

Upadhyay said, “Fornnax’s strong positioning in high-capacity shredding solutions and its commitment to sustainable recycling deeply resonated with me. The company’s engineering strength and rapid growth trajectory present a powerful opportunity to build a world-class service organisation. In an industry where machine reliability directly impacts customer profitability, service becomes a direct driver of customer success. I am excited to elevate Service from a support function to a strategic growth enabler, which is specifically focused on uptime, lifecycle value and long-term partnerships.”

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