Ali Parvanta will head communications at ZF Lifetec from June!

Ali Parvanta will head communications at ZF Lifetec from June!

On June 1st, Ali Parvanta will take over as head of corporate communications at ZF Lifetec. He succeeds Christopher Rimmele, who will be responsible for communications in the ZF Commercial Vehicle Solutions Division. ZF Lifetec, a renowned manufacturer of airbag and seat belt systems, is part of the ZF Group and has positioned itself as an independent brand since renaming ZF Passive Safety Systems in order to increase growth and profitability. The former division's sales were around 4.7 billion euros in 2023, as press.zf.com reports.

Ali Parvanta studied communication and media sciences and began his career in the communications department of Continental AG in 2015. His professional positions include both Hanover and Yokohama in Japan. Most recently, Parvanta was group spokesperson for innovation and technology issues at Continental. In his new role, he will lead ZF Lifetec's communications and marketing team from the Alfdorf location and report directly to ZF Lifetec CEO Rudolf Stark. Parvanta is 33 years old and brings valuable experience in communications that will be of great benefit to ZF Lifetec.

Strategic direction of ZF Lifetec

The founding of ZF Lifetec as part of the division's legal separation process within the ZF Group enables targeted positioning as a leading provider of passive safety systems. The division has a market share of over 20% in its core product categories and serves a diverse customer base of global OEMs. This is supported by high-quality products and extensive research and development collaborations. ZF Lifetec is present in 46 locations worldwide in 18 countries. Dr. Holger Klein, CEO of ZF Group, emphasizes that the spin-off process is progressing well and options for the further development of ZF Lifetec are being examined.

In order to overcome the challenges in the changing automotive market, ZF is pursuing a strategy that requires determination, strategic foresight and agility. The full board has formulated three strategic goals: improving competitiveness and profitability, optimizing the portfolio and adapting the corporate structure and culture. In view of an 11 percent decline in sales to 41.4 billion euros in 2024, ZF is planning to reduce up to 14,000 jobs in Germany by the end of 2028. The cuts will be carried out in a socially acceptable manner and 4,000 jobs have already been reduced through natural fluctuation and other measures.

Innovations and future perspectives

ZF invested a total of 3.6 billion euros in research and development in 2024, with 30 percent of the investment spending going into electrified drive technologies. The company is also preparing for the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and is voluntarily aligning its sustainability report with the requirements of the CSRD. The company culture is transformed to promote greater ownership and entrepreneurial thinking, which is crucial for the sustainable future of the company.

With the appointment of Ali Parvanta and the consistent pursuit of its strategic goals, ZF Lifetec is well equipped to operate successfully in the dynamic automotive industry, which is characterized by megatrends and stricter safety regulations. The focus on operational improvements in purchasing, production and capital expenditure will lay the foundation for even better results in the coming years.