Continental appoints Katja Dürrfeld chief financial officer

Dr Ariane Reinhart extends human relations and sustainability executive board role until September 2025

Dr Ariane Reinhart, executive board member for human relations and sustainability and director of labour relations

Continental has appointed Katja Dürrfeld (49) as its new chief financial officer, effective from 14 December 2021. Dürrfeld assumes responsibility for group finance and controlling as well as group information technology immediately, taking over from interim CFO Nikolai Setzer. Setzer had added the role to his existing duties following the departure of Wolfgang Schäfer on 17 November, while Dürrfeld had held the provisional management of these areas below the executive board level. Currently head of Finance, Controlling and Information Technology for the ContiTech business area, she will also take charge of finance and controlling in the future automotive group sector from 1 January, 2022, as was previously announced at the end of September.

Strategic succession planning

“With Katja Dürrfeld, we have appointed a very successful manager with deep ties to the company and a wealth of experience to head finance and IT. The Supervisory Board wishes her all the best and every success in her new role,” said Professor Wolfgang Reitzle, chairman of the Continental supervisory board.

“Katja Dürrfeld enjoys the full confidence of all members of the executive board. We have a close and constructive working relationship, and we share a long-standing affiliation with Continental,” said CEO Nikolai Setzer, adding: “I am convinced that with her broad professional experience, she will be successful as head of finance for the Continental Group and starting next year also for the automotive group sector. On behalf of the entire executive board team, I wish her the best of success.”

Katja Dürrfeld started her career at Continental in 1997. The business administration graduate held several operational positions in IT, marketing, sales, logistics, auditing and purchasing before taking over as head of systems & standards in the Continental Group’s finance department in 2008. In 2013, she took over as head of group audit and in 2018 she switched to the ContiTech business area as head of finance, controlling and IT.

Shaping the transformation

The supervisory board has also extended the appointment of Dr Ariane Reinhart (52) as executive board member for human relations and sustainability and director of labour relations. She will continue in the role for three more years after the previous expiry date of her initial appointment, until September 2025. Conti said the appointment’s duration is in line with Reinhart’s personal life plans.

“The extension of Ariane Reinhart’s appointment is a clear signal that together, we will continue to do everything we can to drive the transformation of the company forward. The large-scale training initiative that she launched early on with the company’s social partners was a vital step in the right direction, as this will enable us to actively shape the necessary changes together with employees,” said Reitzle.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Ariane Reinhart,” added Setzer. “I greatly value her commitment and am confident that with the new executive board team in place, we will continue to successfully capitalize on future opportunities in our industries and markets.”

Ariane Reinhart holds a doctorate in law and was appointed to Continental’s executive board in October 2014. Previously, she held various positions in the Volkswagen Group.