German tire manufacturer Continental has named engineer and former Linde head of investor relations as its new IR chief after Rolf Woller stepped down at the end of 2018.
Bernard Wang – a Princeton University electrical engineering graduate with many years’ capital markets and IR experience – took on the role at the start of January.
Wang, who comes most recently from Linde where he was head of IR since the end of 2016, also boasts an MBA from the European School of Management and Technology in Germany and is a CFA charterholder.
A US citizen born in Taiwan, Wang worked in the chip industry in the US between 2001 and 2014, according to a statement from Continental. He then moved from semiconductor manufacturer Infineon to gases and engineering company Linde in Munich, Germany, where he eventually led the IR effort.
‘With [Bernard] we are gaining an internationally experienced executive who is well versed in capital market and technology issues,’ comments Wolfgang Schäfer, Continental’s CFO. ‘I firmly believe he will seamlessly continue to deepen our trusting dialogue with investors and analysts.’
Schäfer also thanked Woller, who has joined Volkswagen Group subsidiary Traton as it prepares to go public. During his 12 years with Continental, Woller won numerous IR Magazine Awards and was most recently named an IR star in our 30th anniversary issue.
‘During his 12 years with Continental, [Rolf] was involved in our return to the DAX and the sustained increase in the value of our company, among other things,’ says Schäfer. ‘We would like to thank him for his extraordinary commitment and wish him all the best for the future.’
IR Magazine is arranging an interview with Woller to discuss his new role as he prepares Traton for a potential IPO.