BKT names new head of OEM Industrial & OTR Europe

BKT Europe has announced the appointment of Paolo Mantovani as head of OEM Industrial & OTR Europe. The European subsidiary of India-based off-highway tire manufacturer Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) said the move will accelerate the company’s journey to become a top-tier global player in the original equipment (OE) market.

Paolo Mantovani

With over 15 years of commercial and strategic experience across the tire industry, Mantovani has held key roles in the passenger, truck, retread and off-road segments throughout Europe. According to the announcement, his strong business acumen and understanding of OEM requirements will be instrumental in driving BKT’s growth and expansion in the industrial and OTR sectors across the company’s key markets.

In his role, Mantovani will reinforce BKT’s organization chart in the OE channel, pursuing a strategic plan that is designed to consolidate and expand the company’s global position, while fostering relationships with OEM partners, promoting innovation and supporting BKT’s long-term vision for sustainable and profitable growth.

“Paolo’s arrival enhances our ability to engage with OEMs at the highest level and deliver long-term value through performance, partnership and innovation. We are building a team capable of transforming our strong ambitions into reality at a global level,” said Ludovic Revel, president, Global OEM, at BKT.

In line with this strategy, Silvia Busnelli has been promoted to head of OEM Agriculture Europe, attributed to her role in developing the OE channel and to her product knowledge, OEM relationships and market insight.

To complete the team, Melodie Dubreuil has recently joined BKT as OEM technical manager EMEA. Dubreuil has over six years of experience in the tire industry and more than two years at CNH Europe.