Christof Lischka Moves from BMW to KTM as New Technology Chief

• Christof Lischka will become Chief Technology and Product Officer (CTPO) of KTM AG on October 1, 2026.
• He will be responsible for research and vehicle development of the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas brands.
• His appointment completes the four-member executive board of KTM AG.

The former head of development at BMW Motorrad is moving to Mattighofen. On June 3, 2026, Bajaj Mobility AG announced that Christof Lischka will join the executive board of its wholly owned subsidiary KTM AG on October 1, 2026. There he takes on a newly created position as Chief Technology and Product Officer, or CTPO. After Stephan Reiff, Lischka is already the second member of the KTM board who previously worked at BMW Motorrad.

What will Christof Lischka’s responsibilities be at KTM?

As CTPO, Lischka has overall responsibility for research and vehicle development at KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas. He is also tasked with the strategic development of the three brands’ product ranges.

According to the company, this also concerns the next generations of vehicles: Lischka is to carry the brands’ technical direction forward into them. Another explicitly stated task relates to quality. Standards for the quality and reliability of the motorcycles are to be raised further. KTM also stresses that lessons from motorsport will continue to flow directly into the development of its production models.

Who is Christof Lischka?

Christof Lischka is a mechanical engineer and, according to KTM, has more than 25 years of experience in vehicle development. He spent most of his career at the BMW Group.

There he held management roles in several fields, including chassis, vehicle dynamics, braking systems, overall vehicle integration and development strategy. In August 2019 he succeeded Karl Viktor Schaller as head of all motorcycle development at BMW Motorrad, a role he held as Vice President Development for around six years.

Lischka is a motorcyclist himself, especially off-road. He has ridden KTM models for many years and has been active in motocross and rallies. KTM mentions, among other things, entries in the Roof of Africa and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, as well as an altitude record on the Nevado Ojos del Salado in Chile.

What do Neumeister and Lischka say about the move?

KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister sees the appointment as an important step in the company’s realignment. “Christof Lischka embodies exactly what defines our company: deep technical expertise, strategic vision and a genuine passion for motorcycles,” he said. Lischka, he added, understands development both from a management and from a rider’s perspective.

Lischka describes KTM as a brand in which innovation, motorsport and emotion are closely linked. Together with the teams in Mattighofen, he wants to develop motorcycles that are technically at the front, perform on the road and off it, and inspire customers.

Who will sit on the KTM executive board from October 2026?

From October 2026, the executive board of KTM AG consists of four people: Gottfried Neumeister as CEO, Petra Preining as CFO, Stephan Reiff as CCO and Christof Lischka as CTPO. According to the company, the board is now complete.

Like Lischka, Reiff also came to Mattighofen from BMW Motorrad. The listed parent company Bajaj Mobility AG continues to be run by Neumeister and Preining.

How has KTM changed since the Bajaj takeover?

KTM has been in the middle of a restructuring since its financial crisis and insolvency proceedings. After the restructuring plan was approved, Stefan Pierer stepped down from the board in March 2025, and Gottfried Neumeister then ran the operating business on his own.

In November 2025, the Indian manufacturer Bajaj completed its takeover of the controlling stake. As part of this, the former Pierer Mobility AG was renamed Bajaj Mobility AG. It is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and in the prime market of the Vienna Stock Exchange. KTM AG, based in Mattighofen, is the umbrella for companies including KTM Sportmotorcycle GmbH, Husqvarna Mobility GmbH, WP Suspension GmbH and GASGAS GmbH.

Frequently Asked Questions