Continental Tire named Tansu Işık as its CEO of the Americas, effective May 1, according to a March 18 press release. Işık will succeed Jochen Etzel, who is retiring from the position.
In his new role, Işık will also head the company’s replacement tires business area in the Americas, reporting to Christian Koetz, executive board member of Continental and head of Continental Tires.
He currently serves as head of region south and channels fleet and original equipment trailer for Continental’s replacement tire business in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Previously, Işık has held other various roles in Continental’s tire business for more than two decades. Prior to his current position, he served as head of pricing for the EMEA region, and director and later VP for key account management in China and the Asia-Pacific region. Işık also worked as head of marketing for Continental’s replacement tire business in the EMEA region, and head of the company’s strategic business development and global marketing division.
“With his deep tires expertise and strategic insight, [Işık] is perfectly equipped to build on our success and lead our tire business in the Americas into the future,” Koetz said in the release.
Etzel has served as CEO for Continental’s tire business in the Americas since 2011. According to the press release, the company streamlined business operations in the Americas during his tenure as CEO in a bid to strengthen its competitiveness.
Etzel first started as a lawyer in the corporate law department, then as a financial manager and leader of the mergers and acquisitions team.
