Continental will comprehensively realign the Automotive Technologies group sector (future name: Automotive). The technology company will create five dynamic, flexible business areas with structures geared to the strategic
action fields and market development of Automotive. Nikolai Setzer will continue to be responsible
for this group sector on the Executive Board, in addition to his function as CEO of Continental. This
means a complete realignment of the current business areas Vehicle Networking and Information
as well as Autonomous Mobility and Safety. When the new Automotive structure comes into effect,
Helmut Matschi (58) and Frank Jourdan (61) will step down from the Executive Board earlier than
planned (both appointed until March 2024).
With effect from January 1, 2022, the Automotive group sector will thus consist of the following
business areas:
• Safety and Motion, headed by Matthias Matic
• Autonomous Mobility, headed by Frank Petznick
• Smart Mobility, headed by Ismail Dagli
• User Experience, headed by Philipp von Hirschheydt
• Architecture and Networking, headed by Jean-François Tarabbia
Safety and Motion, as well as Autonomous Mobility, will combine the business for advanced
driver assistance systems and for automated driving with the business activities related to safety
electronics, sensors, as well as brake and chassis systems. Safety and Motion will be headed by
Matthias Matic, who is currently responsible for the Vehicle Dynamics business unit and
previously managed the Hydraulic Brakes business unit for six years. As already decided in March
2021, Frank Petznick will be responsible for the Autonomous Mobility business area.
The Architecture and Networking business area will consolidate activities related to connectivity
technologies, vehicle electronics, and high-performance computers. The User Experience
business area will combine the business for display and operating technologies, as well as sound
solutions. The Smart Mobility business area will pool the business for mobility services, fleet
operators, and commercial vehicle manufacturers.
Architecture and Networking will be headed by Jean-François Tarabbia, who has been in
charge of the Connected Car Networking business unit since January 2021 and has more than 20
years of experience in various management positions in the automotive industry.
The User Experience business area will be headed by Philipp von Hirschheydt, who will move
within the company from the Tires business area to Automotive. Hirschheydt has many years of
international experience in the automotive and tires areas as well as at the corporate level. At
present, he is responsible for the Tires Replacement business for the EMEA region (Europe,
Middle East, Africa).
The Smart Mobility business area will have a new manager, Ismail Dagli, who will replace Gilles
Mabire on January 1, 2022. Dagli is currently in charge of the research and development of the
business unit for advanced driver assistance systems within Continental.
As part of the realignment of Automotive Technologies, the overarching advanced engineering
organization he[a]t (Holistic Engineering and Technologies) under the leadership of future chief
technology officer (CTO) Gilles Mabire will be strengthened from January 1, 2022. This will focus
on the sixth strategic action field, namely Software and Systems Excellence. In he[at]
organization, Automotive will combine advanced engineering activities and cross-domain high performance
computer projects, drawing on the experience and expertise of Elektrobit (including Argus) and Continental Engineering Services.
Additionally, the CTO organization will incorporate the central development of the former Vehicle Networking and Information business area, as well as the organizational units Key Projects and Product Transformation.
