Dong Caiping, Chairman & President, Zenith Steel Group

Zenith Steel Group is accelerating its global expansion with a strategic focus on India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The company sees significant opportunities in the subcontinent’s booming automotive sector and infrastructure development boom, positioning itself to capitalise on rising demand for steel cord and tyre manufacturing components.

Chairman and President Dong Caiping leads the company’s international push, combining advanced manufacturing technology with localised market knowledge to establish Zenith’s footprint in India’s competitive industrial landscape. The strategy reflects broader Chinese industrial ambitions to expand beyond domestic markets while navigating complex regulatory environments and established local competition.

India’s steel cord industry, essential for tyre manufacturing, presents both opportunities and challenges as the country’s automotive sector expands rapidly. Zenith’s approach emphasises sustainable development and technological innovation, key differentiators in a market increasingly focused on environmental standards and operational efficiency.

The company’s expansion plans include establishing technology centres and strengthening supply chain infrastructure in India, signalling long-term commitment to the market. Caiping discusses how international expertise merged with local insights creates value, the lessons learned from other global markets and Zenith’s vision for sustainable growth in India’s evolving industrial ecosystem.

Why did Zenith enter the Indian market, and where does it fit in your vision of the world?

Zenith entered the Indian market because we see great growth potential in the market, a huge consumer base and the increasing demand for infrastructure development. As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India has a broad market prospect for the tyre and related industries. The Indian market is an important growth engine that helps Zenith achieve its strategic goals of global expansion and market share enhancement.

Along with being an integrated wire rod maker, Zenith brings unique values. What unique preposition Zenith brings to the Indian tyre industry?

Zenith will bring unique value to the Indian tyre industry with its advanced intelligent manufacturing technology, high-quality products, innovative solutions and commitment to sustainable development.

How would you perceive the interplay between international know-how and local knowledge in the creation of value in India?

International experience provides Zenith with advanced management concepts, technical standards and a global perspective, which helps to quickly improve operational efficiency and product quality. Local knowledge, on the other hand, enables Zenith to better understand the unique needs, cultural background and business rules of the Indian market, thus achieving precise positioning and effective communication. The combination of the two can help Zenith create greater value in the Indian market and achieve sustainable development.

In what ways does Zenith’s commitment to the Indian market reflect in its investment and expansion strategy?

Zenith may demonstrate its long-term commitment to the Indian market by establishing a technology centre and strengthening local supply chain construction in India, thereby consolidating its position in the Indian market.

What are the prospects in store for the Indian steel cord industry?

With the rapid development of the automotive industry, the continuous growth of tyre market demand and the ongoing progress of infrastructure construction in India, the steel cord industry, as a key raw material supplier for tyre manufacturing, has a broad prospect. It is expected that in the coming years, the steel cord industry in India will maintain stable growth. However, it will also face challenges such as technological innovation and increasing environmental protection requirements, which require enterprises to continuously enhance their competitiveness to adapt to market changes.

What makes you optimistic about Zenith’s long-term success in India?

Zenith’s long-term success in India may be based on its strong brand influence, advanced technological capabilities, in-depth understanding of the Indian market and good cooperative relationships with the local government and enterprises. In addition, the continuous growth potential of the Indian market, Zenith’s own strategic planning and execution capabilities and its emphasis on sustainable development have all laid a solid foundation for its long-term development in India.

What lessons from other markets has Zenith successfully implemented in India?

Zenith has applied experiences accumulated from other markets in areas such as brand building, marketing, customer relationship management, supply chain optimisation and digital transformation to the Indian market.

Where is India positioned in Zenith’s worldwide chain of innovation?

India plays an important role in Zenith’s global innovation chain. On the one hand, the market characteristics and needs of India provide Zenith with inspiration and motivation for innovation, driving the company to innovate locally in products, technology and services. On the other hand, India’s talent resources and the continuously developing technological environment also support Zenith’s global innovation, enabling it to better integrate global resources and enhance its overall innovation capabilities.

What is it that you wish to tell potential Indian partners and customers about Zenith’s future vision?

We would like to convey to potential Indian partners and customers Zenith’s determination to develop long-term in the Indian market, as well as its vision to continuously innovate, improve product quality and service levels and provide more valuable solutions to Indian customers. At the same time, we emphasise the concept of mutual growth and win-win cooperation with partners, as well as our commitment to sustainable development, to enhance the confidence of partners and customers and attract more support and cooperation.

Dunlop Tyres has announced the appointment of Saurav Mukherjee as its new Senior Vice President – Global Sales and Operations. With extensive expertise in driving growth, fostering customer relationships and leading high-performing teams, Mukherjee will oversee the company’s global operations.

His leadership comes at a pivotal time as Dunlop strengthens its commitment to delivering quality, reliability and expanded reach, particularly in the Indian market. The company expressed confidence that Mukherjee’s strategic vision will usher in a new era of scale, structure and sustained sales momentum.

South Korean tyre major Nexen Tire has added another feather to its cap and has received a Gold rating from EcoVadis for the second year in succession. This places the company among the top 3 percent of over 150,000 companies assessed globally.

Established in 2007 in France, EcoVadis evaluates corporate sustainability performance across Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. Its ratings are Platinum (top 1 percent), Gold (top 5 percent), Silver (top 15 percent) and Bronze (top 35 percent).

Nexen Tire showed improvements across all assessment areas. In the Environment category, the company's involvement in global sustainability initiatives, including the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) was noted. Climate education programmes and greenhouse gas emissions disclosure were contributors.

For Labour & Human Rights, Nexen Tire's human rights policy aligns with international standards from the United Nations and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The company also began human rights assessments for risk management.

In the Ethics pillar, the company reinforced internal systems for risk prevention, monitoring, and mitigation. The Sustainable Procurement score improved through ESG assessments, supplier audits and risk response strategies.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, Nexen Tire, said, “Receiving the Gold rating from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year is a significant affirmation of our global ESG efforts. We remain committed to responsible and transparent management practices that meet the expectations of our stakeholders worldwide.”

TÜV SÜD AG’s Supervisory Board has named Ishan Palit as Interim CEO (Chairman of the Board of Management) effective 15 July 2025, following Dr Johannes Bussmann’s departure to assume the CEO role at MTU Aero Engines AG. Bussmann will leave TÜV SÜD on 14 July 2025. Palit will co-lead the company with CFO Sabine Nitzsche until a permanent successor is appointed.

With over 30 years at TÜV SÜD, Palit has held key leadership roles, including establishing the company’s India operations, serving as Asia Pacific CEO and leading the global Product Service Division. Since 2017, he has been Chief Operating Officer, driving strategic and operational initiatives.

Nitzsche, who joined as CFO in March 2025, brings extensive financial and executive expertise from the high-tech and automotive sectors. Her prior roles include CFO of Vitesco Technologies AG and senior financial leadership positions at Infineon Technologies and GlobalFoundries.

Frank Hyldmar, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TÜV SÜD AG, said, “We are very pleased that Ishan and Sabine will oversee the interim management of TÜV SÜD during this transition. Ishan is a seasoned TÜV SÜD senior executive with deep knowledge of our business and strong global leadership experience. Sabine brings a proven track record as CFO across multiple multinational enterprises. Together, they form a strong leadership team as we work towards appointing a long-term CEO.”

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."