Christian Kötz to Lead Continental as CEO Starting 2026

Continental AG will appoint Christian Kötz as its new CEO and chairman of the executive board effective Jan. 1, 2026, as the company advances a corporate transformation aimed at becoming a business focused exclusively on tires. The decision follows a series of structural milestones, including the spin-off of Aumovio, an agreement to sell the Original Equipment Solutions business, and preparations for the planned sale of ContiTech in 2026.

The Supervisory Board announced the appointment after a meeting in Hanover, Germany, confirming that current CEO Nikolai Setzer will leave the Executive Board by mutual agreement on Dec. 31, 2025. Setzer has been a member of the board for more than 16 years and has served as CEO for five years. The transition was planned and aligns with what the company described as significant progress in its realignment strategy.

According to Continental, the group is moving toward the final phase of a multi-year restructuring designed to separate its former portfolio into independent entities and ultimately concentrate the remaining organization on the tire business. The spin-off of Aumovio has been completed, and the company has signed an agreement to sell its Original Equipment Solutions business. In parallel, internal preparations for the sale of ContiTech, scheduled for 2026, are largely complete. The initial market outreach phase has ended, and a structured sales process is set to begin in January 2026.

Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman, Continental’s Supervisory Board, credited Setzer with leading the restructuring process and preparing the company for its next phase. “Nikolai Setzer has been instrumental in shaping Continental, realigning the organization and paving the way for three strong and independent companies. For this, he has the thanks of the entire Supervisory Board, as well as my personal appreciation,” Reitzle said.

Reitzle added that the leadership change consolidates responsibility for the tire business, the realignment process and the remaining corporate functions under a single role. “Christian Kötz is one of the most accomplished executives in the global tire industry. With his extensive experience and his commitment to Continental, we are convinced that he is the right person to successfully lead the company into the future,” he said.

Kötz has spent nearly three decades at Continental, all within the tire business. He joined the company in 1996 and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2019. His previous roles include leadership of the passenger car replacement tire business in the EMEA region, original equipment and commercial vehicle tire units, and the global research and development organization for passenger car tires.

“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for its trust, and I am looking forward to taking on this new responsibility. Continental has been my professional home for three decades.” He said that together with the Executive Board and the company’s workforce, he will complete the realignment and “continue the success story of our tire business,” Kötz said.