Senior figure leaves Tata Steel Europe

Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel Europe, will remain available as an adviser for a short period. He will be replaced by Hans Fischer, currently chief technical officer of the European side of the company.

Mr Koehler recently joined thousands of steelworkers, including hundreds from Tata plants in the UK, in a demonstration in Brussels calling on the European Commission to take action against the dumping of cheap Chinese steel.

The cheap imports have been blamed for thousands of job losses in the industry in recent months.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the steelworkers’ union Community, said: “This change in leadership comes at an extremely difficult time for the UK steel industry so it’s important that the new team re-affirm the focus on creating a sustainable future for steel-making in the UK.

“It is a concern that Tata Steel Europe’s chief executive will no longer have a seat on the Tata Steel board in India and we will be seeking further clarification on this decision.

“The UK Government must continue to work closely with Tata Steel so that ministers’ publicly stated commitments to retaining blast furnace steel production in the UK are realised.”