Continental Bids Farewell to Supervisory Board Chairman Wolfgang Reitzle

Continental’s 2026 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

- Wolfgang Reitzle steps down from his role as chairman of Continental’s Supervisory Board after 16 years, effective at the conclusion of this year’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

- Wolfgang Reitzle:

What was an advantage 16 years ago – size and diversification – has since become a disadvantage. Agile speedboats instead of sluggish tankers: this is exactly what Continental has been preparing for over the last few years

- Continental will become a pure-play tire manufacturer with a global presence

- CEO Christian Kötz:

We know what sets us apart from the competition – the contact our tires have with the road. And the contact we have with people: with our customers and with our teams

- Sabrina Soussan, designated chair of the Supervisory Board:

I will build on what has already been achieved and support Continental on its journey toward a successful future. I aim for supervision that challenges and supports, that oversees and connects, and that stays close to the business without losing perspective

Hanover, Germany, April 30, 2026. At today’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting in Hanover, Continental bid farewell to long-standing chairman of the Supervisory Board, Wolfgang Reitzle. As announced, Reitzle stepped down after 16 years at the helm of the Supervisory Board.

As chairman of the Supervisory Board, you have helped shape the company with determination and foresight. That requires not only the will to lead, but also courage. For that, you deserve our gratitude and respect,” said Sabrina Soussan, designated chair of the Supervisory Board. Continental CEO Christian Kötz also paid tribute to Reitzle’s achievements: “Without your personal dedication, Continental would not be where it is today. You have led us to the threshold of this new, exciting chapter. You provided crucial impetus for the clear strategic direction of our group sectors and for their independence." At the same time, he added: “I am looking forward to a trustful exchange with Sabrina Soussan and to the next steps we will take together.

Agile speedboats instead of sluggish tankers

In his speech to shareholders, Reitzle focused on Continental’s transformation from a diversified corporation into a focused specialist, noting how what was an advantage 16 years ago – size and diversification – has become a disadvantage in today’s automotive industry:

Conglomerates no longer stand a chance in this environment.

What is needed instead, he said, are

agile speedboats instead of sluggish tankers

– highly specialized companies that set the pace in their markets through speed, innovation and performance. Step by step, this is precisely what Continental has been preparing for.

With Aumovio, the former Automotive group sector has become

a new, strong player in the market, ideally positioned to address all key future trends.

ContiTech will leverage its strengths in the industrial business, while Continental itself, as a pure-play tire company, will be optimally positioned both technologically and economically.

Taken together, said Reitzle, these new specialists will

create more value for all stakeholders than would have been possible together

– including for employees, whom he sees as better secured for the future in the focused successor companies than before. Against this backdrop, he expressed confidence that Continental will once again demonstrate the resilience it has proven over more than 150 years, even during the greatest transformation in the industry’s history.

Reitzle described his designated successor Sabrina Soussan as

the ideal candidate to chair the Supervisory Board,

highlighting her more than 25 years of experience in the automotive and transportation sectors and her exceptional expertise.

Designated chair of the Supervisory Board: Sabrina Soussan

Soussan, who was born in France and became a German citizen many years ago, has enjoyed an international career spanning roles at Renault, Siemens, Continental and Suez. In recent months, she has visited numerous company locations and plants around the world, including in Germany, China, Portugal and the USA.

Everywhere I went, I was impressed by the technology, the quality and the innovation. But most of all, I was impressed by the people, the passion of the teams and the shared Continental spirit,

said Soussan during her speech at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting.

She described her role as the future chair of the Supervisory Board as follows:

I will build on what has already been achieved and support Continental on its journey toward a successful future – with entrepreneurial spirit, open dialogue and a clear vision of Continental’s medium- and long-term potential.” A strong Supervisory Board, she emphasized, is an important partner for business success: “I aim for supervision that challenges and supports, that oversees and connects, and that stays close to the business without losing perspective.

Soussan also stressed the importance she places on employee co-determination, as well as empowering people to reach their full potential and ensuring the right individuals are in the right roles.

This is an essential part of modern supervisory board work.

CEO speech:

Our strength lies in the right mix – just like in tire production

The speech by CEO Christian Kötz centered around the formula for success that will enable the company to maintain its competitive edge. Kötz described this as

Continental’s very own recipe” with four ingredients: top technology in products, state-of-the-art manufacturing, efficient distribution and a strong brand, supported by a strong team. “Our strength lies in the right mix – just like in tire production,

Top technology is especially evident in ultra-high-performance tires measuring 18 inches and above, which are primarily used in SUVs and electric vehicles. In 2025, they accounted for 62 percent of sales of Continental-branded car tires. In the coming years, Continental expects annual average market growth of around 8 percent. One example is the multi-award-winning

At the heart of Continental’s state-of-the-art manufacturing are its eight mega factories, including those in Hefei (China), Lousado (Portugal) and Mount Vernon (USA). Around 80 percent of production volume is generated at these plants. Each year, Continental manufactures more than 14,000 different products across its 19 tire plants worldwide.

Efficient distribution is made possible thanks to the company’s own distribution and storage centers – some fully automated – and a tightly knit logistics network. In Europe, over 90 percent of Continental tire orders arrive the very next day.

Another key strength is Continental’s strong brand, supported by a strong team. Last year, Continental products ranked among the top three in 65 tests. In Germany, Continental was recently named “best tire brand.”

Positive outlook for the future

Kötz concluded his speech by looking ahead:

We are looking to the future with confidence, even if conditions remain challenging. Because we know what sets us apart from the competition – the contact our tires have with the road. And the contact we have with people: with our customers and with our teams. And with you, our shareholders.

Profound change in the company’s 150-year history

Kötz described the current phase as the most far-reaching transformation in the company’s more than 150-year history. In 2021, Continental spun off its powertrain division as Vitesco Technologies. In September 2025, the Automotive group sector followed under the name Aumovio. In February of this year, Continental also sold its business in hoses and bearing elements for the automotive industry (OESL). Intensive negotiations with potential buyers are currently underway for the ContiTech group sector.

In view of geopolitical shifts, trade conflicts and strained supply chains, Kötz pointed out that large, broad-based corporations are finding it increasingly difficult to succeed. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, he said, and only highly focused companies will be able to keep up – companies that make decisions quickly and operate efficiently.

Focus, formulate, fortify – that’s the principle of tire production. And it’s the same principle that has guided us in our realignment of Continental,” said Kötz, who took over as CEO four months ago. “We are now concentrating on a true high-performance product with a clearly defined profile – a company with a proud heritage that is now charting new paths.

Continental: a tire manufacturer with a global presence

What was previously the Tires group sector will become a pure-play tire company with around 55,000 employees and 16 research and development locations around the world. In 2025, Continental generated around 50 percent of its tire sales in Europe, 33 percent in North and South America and 14 percent in Asia.

Progress in sustainability

Continental has made significant progress in sustainability over the past year. Since the beginning of this year, all Continental tire plants worldwide have stopped using coal and oil as energy sources to generate heat. In 2025, Continental reduced greenhouse gas intensity in tire production by over 10 percent. The share of renewable and recycled materials rose from 26 to 28 percent. The company is aiming to increase this figure to at least 40 percent by 2030.

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Head of Corporate Communications