YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has unveiled a significant restructuring of its senior management team, signaling a renewed focus on achieving both immediate and medium-term objectives while strategically positioning the company for sustained growth in the future.
Effective April 1st, the Nissan board of directors has officially endorsed the appointment of Ivan Espinosa, the current chief planning officer, as the new representative executive officer, president, and CEO. Espinosa will take over the helm from Makoto Uchida, marking a pivotal shift in Nissan’s leadership as it navigates a dynamic automotive landscape.
Executive Committee Reimagined
Nissan is implementing substantial changes to its Executive Committee, which will now report directly to Espinosa starting April 1st. This revamped committee reflects Nissan’s commitment to injecting fresh perspectives and expertise into its core leadership.
Guillaume Cartier, currently serving as chief performance officer and chairperson of the Management Committee for AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania), will see his responsibilities broadened to encompass global marketing and customer experience. This expansion underscores Nissan’s dedication to enhancing its brand presence and customer engagement worldwide.
Eiichi Akashi, the current corporate vice president (CVP) of the Vehicle Planning and Vehicle Component Engineering Division, is appointed as the new chief technology officer and executive officer. Akashi succeeds Kunio Nakaguro, bringing his extensive engineering background to drive Nissan’s technological advancements.
Teiji Hirata, presently CVP of the Vehicle Production Engineering and Development Division, will assume the crucial role of chief monozukuri officer and executive officer. Hirata will be responsible for overseeing Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, taking over from Hideyuki Sakamoto and focusing on optimizing Nissan’s production processes.
Jeremie Papin, continuing in his role as chief financial officer, has also been appointed as executive officer, further solidifying the financial leadership within the executive team.
Stephen Ma, chairperson of the Management Committee for China; Mitsuro Antoku, chief quality officer; and Toru Ihara, chief HR officer will maintain their current positions, ensuring continuity in key regional and functional areas of Nissan’s operations.
Uchida and Sakamoto will remain as directors until the annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled for June, facilitating a smooth transition and ensuring ongoing guidance during this period of change.
Strategic Appointments in Key Management Roles
Shohei Yamazaki, chairperson of the Management Committee for Japan-ASEAN, will expand his responsibilities to include oversight of affiliate companies. This broadened role highlights Nissan’s focus on strengthening its regional operations and partnerships.
Christian Meunier, chairperson of the Management Committee for the Americas, will continue in his current position, maintaining leadership stability in this critical market for Nissan.
Tatsuzo Tomita, currently the CVP of Product Development No. 2, will succeed Akashi in his R&D responsibilities and will also take on the newly created role of chief of Total Delivered Cost (TdC) Transformation, reporting directly to Espinosa. This appointment emphasizes Nissan’s commitment to efficiency and cost optimization.
Manabu Sakane, currently CVP of Purchasing, will become chief of Strategy Acceleration, also reporting to Espinosa. Sakane’s new role underscores Nissan’s drive to expedite its strategic initiatives and adapt swiftly to market changes.
Executives Transitioning from Current Roles
In addition to Nakaguro, Sakamoto, and Uchida, several other executives will be stepping down from their current positions on March 31st as part of this leadership transition.
Asako Hoshino, Chief Brand & Customer Officer, and Hideaki Watanabe, Chief Strategy & Corporate Affairs Officer, will be among those transitioning out of their current roles, marking a comprehensive renewal of Nissan’s leadership structure as it embarks on a new chapter.
