From left to right: Kyuwang (Ken) Cho, Senior Vice President of North America Marketing; K C Jensen, Vice President of US PC/LT Sales; Mark Roe, Vice President of US TBR Sales

Hankook Tire & Technology has announced a series of executive leadership changes at its North American headquarters in Nashville, reinforcing its commitment to growth in passenger and commercial tyre markets. The restructuring brings fresh leadership across key sales and marketing functions.

Kyuwang (Ken) Cho assumes the role of Senior Vice President of North America Marketing, transitioning from his previous dual leadership of PC/LT Sales and Marketing. The industry veteran brings 25 years of Hankook experience, including a stint as Vice President of Global Sales in Korea. K C Jensen steps up as Vice President of US PC/LT Sales, expanding his responsibilities from regional to national oversight after demonstrating strong leadership in the Western market since 2018.

The company welcomes back Mark Roe as Vice President of US TBR Sales, where his four decades of commercial tyre expertise will guide replacement and OE sales strategies. Roe's extensive background includes previous leadership roles at Hankook and most recently at Ralson Tire North America.

Regional sales teams also see strategic promotions. Shaun Prott advances to Regional Director of PC/LT Sales for the West, building on his eight-year tenure with Hankook and prior experience with National Tire Warehouse. Travis Jones rejoins the organisation as Northeast Regional Director, bringing valuable perspective from Michelin and Pirelli. Brian Ford earns promotion to Regional Director of TBR Sales for the West after successfully managing key commercial accounts since 2021.

Rob Williams, President of Hankook Tire America Corp, said, "These leadership appointments reflect Hankook's strong momentum in North America. Ken, K.C. and Mark each bring exceptional industry experience, strategic focus and leadership qualities to their roles. Together, they will help elevate our presence across both consumer and commercial channels, and support our long-term growth ambitions in the US. These moves speak to the strength of our internal talent pipeline & ability to attract top talent and our continued investment in customer relationships. Shaun, Travis and Brian all bring deep knowledge of their markets and proven ability to grow key partnerships."

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Continental AG’s Supervisory Board is experiencing a significant transformation in the wake of its Aumovio spin-off. This restructuring involves several high-profile departures and new appointments. Stefan E Buchner resigned on 4 September 2025 to assume the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board at the newly independent Aumovio SE. Shortly thereafter, on 17 September, Dr Gunter Dunkel also stepped down.

The most significant new appointment is that of Sabrina Soussan, who is slated to join as a shareholder representative. Subject to her anticipated formal appointment by the local court at the end of September 2025, Soussan will then be nominated for election at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on 30 April 2026. Following that meeting, the Supervisory Board is expected to elect her as its new Chairperson. She will succeed the long-serving Prof Wolfgang Reitzle, who is scheduled to conclude his 16-year tenure at the close of the 2026 meeting.

Soussan is a German-French executive with over 25 years of experience in the automotive and transport sectors. Her extensive background includes leadership roles such as CEO of Siemens Mobility, senior positions at Siemens VDO and Continental, and most recently, serving as CEO and Chair of the French SUEZ Group. She also holds a position on the Shareholders’ Committee at Henkel.

Substantial changes are also occurring among the employee representatives. Petra Hartwig, Sabine Kühn, Michael Linnartz and Nicole Werner have been nominated for appointment, which is also expected to be finalised by the court in late September. Their appointments follow the resignations of several individuals, including Christiane Benner and Dr Matthias Ebenau, who stepped down because their roles at IG Metall no longer encompass responsibility for Continental. Furthermore, the employee representatives from the spun-off automotive business have also departed.

Assuming all anticipated court appointments proceed, the reconstituted Supervisory Board will comprise a blend of continuing and new members, including Prof Reitzle until his departure, and the newly appointed representatives.

Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman of the Continental Supervisory Board, said, “Following the successful spin-off of Aumovio, we are now paving the way for an orderly succession. In Sabrina Soussan, the Nomination Committee has secured a highly qualified candidate for this role. I look forward to working with her and the other new Supervisory Board members. I would also like to thank the departing members for their commitment during this intense phase of transformation and for many years of trusted collaboration on the board.”

Soussan said, “Being nominated to the Continental Supervisory Board is a great honour for me. I look forward to becoming part of this outstanding team and supporting the Executive Board in implementing its strategy.”

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BKT Tires has reinforced its organisational structure with the strategic appointment of Paolo Mantovani as its Head of OEM Industrial & OTR Europe. This move signifies a key development for the European division of Balkrishna Industries Ltd as it pursues an elevated position within the global Original Equipment sector.

Mantovani is positioned to play a critical role in this expansion, leveraging his 15 years of comprehensive experience across various European tyre industry segments, including passenger vehicles, trucks, retreading and off-road machinery. His established commercial expertise and strategic insight into original equipment manufacturer requirements are anticipated to be instrumental in driving growth for BKT within the industrial and off-the-road tyre markets.

His primary responsibilities will involve implementing a defined strategy to enhance the company's OEM channel, solidifying its international presence. This will entail nurturing and expanding partnerships with equipment manufacturers, championing innovative initiatives and advancing the company's overarching objective of achieving sustainable and profitable worldwide growth.

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Hankook Tyre UK has expanded its Truck and Bus team with two key appointments. Jason Bloor has been appointed as National Account Manager, while Peter Hatton has been appointed as Regional Sales Manager for the combined Midlands and Northwest region.

Bloor, who will be overseeing national fleets activities, brings with him 34 years of experience in the tyre industry, while Hatton, who joined Hankook Tyre UK in May, has over three decades of expertise in the tyre and transport industry.

Chang-Yool Han, Managing Director, Hankook Tyre UK, said, “Following the opening of Hankook House, our new UK headquarters, we are pursuing ambitious growth plans for the UK market. We are delighted to welcome Jason Bloor and Peter Hatton to the team. Their extensive industry experience will undoubtedly make an immediate impact on the company’s continued success."

Bloor said, “I joined the tyre industry straight out of school in 1991 starting as a fitter where I discovered a passion for fleet management. Over the last 20 years, I have managed mileage contracts and key accounts, taking on responsibility in both sales and operations. I am excited to bring my decades of experience to Hankook and help drive brand awareness and strengthen customer relationships.”

Hatton said, “Having spent 30+ years working in the tyre and transport industry, I am privileged to be part of the Hankook UK team. The company offers an excellent range of tyre products across its premium Hankook brand and associate brand Laufenn. I look forward to applying my skills and experience in supporting both current and new customers while working alongside a brilliant team.”

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CAMSO Construction has appointed Steffen Sahl as Director of Sales for Europe. Sahl brings with him 25 years of experience in the European OTR mobility sector.

The company statement read: “With over 25 years of experience in the European OTR mobility sector, and a successful entrepreneurial journey in distribution, Steffen combines deep market insight with a customer-first mindset.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity, and I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has been part of my professional path so far. A huge thank you to my previous colleagues, mentors and teams – I carry your lessons and support with me. I am deeply honoured by the trust of the CEAT leadership, and am immensely looking forward to building on Camso's strong foundation, driving growth across European markets and collaborating with the talented team in the CEAT speciality family,” said Sahl on his appointment.

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