Interview Nikolai Setzer and Christian Kötz
At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Continental AG appointed Christian Kötz as new chief executive officer and chairman of the Executive Board effective January 1, 2026. Nikolai Setzer will step down from the Executive Board by mutual agreement on December 31, 2025. In a joint interview, both explain why now is the right time for the leadership change and how the handover will take place. Nikolai Setzer reflects on nearly three decades at Continental, while Christian Kötz shares his strategic priorities for the future. The interview was conducted by Vincent Charles, head of Group Communications at Continental.
1. We knew that there was going to be a change of CEO. Why is now the right time to hand over the reins?
Nikolai Setzer: I announced some time ago that I would hand over responsibility once we had made sufficient progress in our transformation into a pure-play tire manufacturer. This is now the case. We’ve successfully spun off Aumovio, and the sale of OESL is nearing completion. We’ve completed internal preparations and market outreach for the sale of ContiTech. The structured sales process will begin early next year. Continental’s realignment is therefore well on track, and my mission is accomplished. That’s why now is the right time for Christian to take over as CEO.
2. Wouldn’t it have been better to wait until ContiTech is sold?
Christian Kötz: Of course, in a complex process like our transformation, there are several possible points that could be suitable for a handover. For us, it was clear that – like in 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 tire manufacturer.
3. What was your greatest achievement as CEO – and your biggest challenge?
Nikolai Setzer: There wasn’t one single greatest achievement or challenge. Nor was it about me and my individual contributions. We’ve always been successful as a team. One that I’ve had the honor of leading for a long time. After a very successful decade starting in 2009, the changing market conditions, the pandemic and the chip crisis certainly put us under a lot of pressure. But especially during these times, I felt a strong sense of belonging at Continental. What many will now associate with my time as CEO is the most profound realignment in Continental’s history. We’ve created three strong, independent champions from our group sectors. And another champion in OESL. That’s something we can all be proud of.
4. Which decision would you make exactly the same today – and which would you make differently?
Nikolai Setzer: In hindsight, you naturally evaluate past decisions with the knowledge you have today. Some things turned out differently than we expected. No one can predict the future. Decisions can only be made based on the best information available at the time – facts are friendly. That has always been our standard. And when things haven’t gone as planned, we’ve adjusted as quickly as possible.
5. What makes you most proud when you look back on your time at Continental?
Nikolai Setzer: I’m proud to have been part of Continental for 28 years and had the chance to work with so many exceptional people to create value and position the company for lasting success. First and for a long time at Tires, then at Automotive, and finally as CEO for the whole of the Continental Group. I’m deeply grateful for the trust placed in me.
6. There’s not much time left for a handover.
Christian Kötz: Sticking with the relay race analogy, preparation happens long before the race. And that’s exactly what we’ve done.
7. What advice do you have for Christian for his first 100 days?
Nikolai Setzer: (laughs) Christian already knows my advice by heart. In this new situation for the company, he’ll make the best possible decisions with his experience and his team – as he has proven for many years. And there will be many decisions to make in the near future. Christian knows the tire industry from more angles than almost anyone else in the industry. So I have no doubt he’ll be an outstanding CEO for Continental.
8. What are the biggest challenges for the company in the coming years?
Christian Kötz: Continental’s tire business is extremely resilient and profitable. We’ll be well positioned from 2026 thanks to our focus on three rather than five business areas – the EMEA, Americas and APAC regions – and our globally managed original equipment business and specialty tire segments. This will allow us to better balance regional and global management going forward. These changes will set us apart as an independent company and give us the momentum we need to succeed in a challenging competitive environment. Thanks to our strong position in the replacement-tire market, external factors like economic cycles have less impact on us than on traditional automotive suppliers, who depend heavily on car manufacturers and new vehicle sales. In the tire industry, the challenges lie more in the changing competitive landscape. New tire manufacturers from Asia, for example, are pushing into Europe and North America with low-cost exports. Our premium tires give us a clear technological and brand advantage, which we must continue to strengthen while continuously working on a competitive cost structure. Additionally, global tire markets are growing only moderately, making it even more important to continue to improve efficiency, while making the most of existing profitable growth opportunities.
9. What strategic priorities will you set – and how will they differ from the previous ones?
Christian Kötz: First of all, there’s a big difference between managing a group sector within a conglomerate and managing an independent listed company. That’s definitely a change for us in Tires and a historic step for Continental. We need to learn to operate independently, and we’ll rely on the experience and knowledge of our colleagues in the group functions. After the sale of ContiTech, we’ll merge the tire and group functions into one strong team. One of my priorities will be ensuring we’re fully prepared for independence. But it’s also clear that the market and our competitors won’t wait for us. We’ll continue to work hard on being competitive in terms of technology, productivity and costs. And we can only do that if we stay true to our corporate culture, which means being there for and appreciating one other, while at the same time delivering top performance.
10. What defines you as a leader?
Christian Kötz: I enjoy working closely with our employees and customers, I’m passionate about tires and their continuous improvement in development and production, and I like getting the best out of myself and others. Above all, though, respect for the task ahead and humility for the responsibility I’ve been given.
11. What will you miss after stepping down – and what are you looking forward to? What’s next on the horizon for you?
Nikolai Setzer: Those who know me know that I’ll put my heart and soul into working for Continental until my very last day. Time will tell what comes next. To be honest, I haven’t thought about it at all. I’ll definitely miss my many colleagues at Continental around the world and the unique culture that defines the company and that I’ve experienced from day one. What am I looking forward to? Spending more time with my family, starting the day without urgent decisions, playing music in peace and, of course, sport and staying active. But anyone who knows me knows that my work has always been a very important part of my life – and that won’t change. So no one in my circle needs to worry about spending too much of their free time with me (laughs).
12. Will there still be an Executive Board relay team at the Hanover marathon?
Nikolai Setzer: Of course – I’ll be there in person to make sure of it! And now that I finally have time to prepare properly, I’ll be more than happy to be the Executive Board’s marathon-relay consultant.
Christian Kötz: The Hanover marathon is a highlight for us every year. It shows the enthusiasm and team spirit in our company. I’m sure we’ll be there with a relay team in 2026. Whether we can live up to the personal bests from previous years remains to be seen… (laughs)
Nicole Göttlicher
Spokeswoman, Business & Corporate
Group Communications
