KT Europe, the European subsidiary of Balkrishna Industries Ltd (BKT), has announced a series of senior appointments aimed at accelerating its expansion in the Original Equipment (OE) market. The move represents a strategic milestone for the Off-Highway tyre manufacturer as it continues its journey to become a top-tier global OE player.
At the centre of the restructuring is the appointment of Paolo Mantovani as Head OEM Industrial & OTR Europe. Bringing more than 15 years of commercial and strategic experience across the tyre sector, Mantovani has held senior roles spanning passenger, truck, retread, and off-road segments. His strong understanding of OEM requirements and business acumen will be instrumental in driving BKT’s growth in the Industrial and OTR sectors across the company’s key European markets.
“In Europe, OEM partnerships are critical to our long-term ambitions,” explained Ludovic Revel, President Global OEM at BKT. “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 ambitions into reality at a global level.”
The company has also confirmed the appointment of Silvia Busnelli as Head OEM Agriculture Europe. Busnelli has been a driving force in developing BKT’s OE channel, bringing deep product knowledge, trusted OEM relationships, and sharp market insight. Her promotion underscores BKT’s commitment to investing in experienced, high-impact talent to steer growth in the agricultural segment.
To complete the new team structure, Melodie Dubreuil has joined as OEM Technical Manager EMEA. With more than six years of experience in the tyre industry, including two years at CNH Europe, Dubreuil will strengthen technical collaboration with OEM partners and ensure BKT solutions continue to meet evolving performance and innovation demands.
Together, these appointments put BKT in a uniquely strong position to scale its OE business across agriculture, industrial, and OTR segments. The strengthened European structure is designed to foster closer OEM relationships, support innovation, and underpin sustainable and profitable growth in line with BKT’s ambitious 2030 strategic plan.
