Continental has appointed Christopher Marsh as the head of the Surface Solutions business and the Pune Plant in India on October 01, 2023.
He succeeds Landry Tchapda who now at the end of his assignment has been assigned another responsibility within the organisation and is moving onward to Australia.
Prashanth Doreswamy, President and CEO, Continental India said, “Continental welcomes Chris and wishes him the very best for his new role. His extensive experience in both global and local markets renders him a highly valuable asset to our company. As we continue to pursue excellence in our manufacturing endeavors, we are confident that Chris will play a pivotal role in guiding the business area toward greater success."
Speaking on the appointment, Christopher Marsh, Head of Surface Solutions business area, ContinTech India, said, "
As India is an important market, my aim is to contribute significantly to our business growth, and further advance the company’s localization efforts. Leveraging my extensive experience, my goal is to strengthen the company’s sustainability initiatives and chart a strategic path for growth, both for India as well as global markets.”
With extensive experience of over 15 years in the automotive manufacturing industry, Chris has worked for organisations such as Dana Axle and Jaguar Land Rover, which moved from the UK in 2018 to Pune, supporting Jaguar Land Rover's strategic India Operations.
With various leadership roles and his understanding of the Indian market, he will be instrumental in expanding the business areas existing connections, and operations in the country. His degree in Supply Chain Management and prior experience will aid him in further building on the company’s localisation efforts, exploring the scope of the export market while establishing a sustainable, strategic, and sensible roadmap for the country.
Continental's Pune Plant as an annual capacity of five million square meters of surface material which can be scaled up to 10 million square metres. The Plant serves as a suitable location for export markets through OEMs and adds to Continental’s overall plan for investment in India.