CONTINENTAL, a leading German tyre and automotive technology company, has appointed Karel Kucera to lead its Middle East and Africa operations as the new managing director.

A Continental veteran of almost 20 years, Kucera took on the new role this month and will be based in the company’s regional office in Dubai, UAE, overseeing more than 19 markets across the region, said a statement.

A citizen of the Czech Republic, Kucera, 42, is a true Continental expert as he joined company straight from university upon completing his MBA in Management from the Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Czech. Other than his mother tongue, Kucera speaks three languages including English, German and Slovakian.

The announcement comes following the recent opening of the company’s first office in Saudi Arabia to support the growing demand for Continental’s products and services in the kingdom, it said.

In his new role, Kucera will also lead the recently unveiled expansion plans for Continental that include the first-of-its-kind warehouse in the region, located in Jebel Ali, Dubai.