(Reuters) – Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida is under deepening pressure over the Japanese automaker’s weakening performance and board members are due to gather on March 11 to discuss potential successors, people familiar with the matter have said.
If Uchida does exit, his replacement would become the fourth person to lead the carmaker in a little under six years, reflecting a sign of the management turmoil that has plagued Nissan following the ouster of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn.
The following people are seen as potential candidates to succeed Uchida, according to Japanese media reports and people familiar with the matter:
JEREMIE PAPIN
Papin is Nissan’s chief financial officer, having been appointed to the role in January. Previously, he served as chairperson of the management committee for the Americas, where he was responsible for both the Nissan and luxury Infiniti brands across the Americas. Before joining Nissan in 2018, the U.S. and French national held various roles at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Renault. He also worked as a financial analyst specialising in the European automotive sector at Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers and Nomura.
IVAN ESPINOSA
Espinosa was appointed chief planning officer in April 2024 as part of a senior management shake-up aimed at accelerating Nissan’s pivot to electric vehicles. He joined Nissan in 2003 and spent much of his career in Mexico. His experience includes positions in Southeast Asia and Europe. Espinosa has overseen product planning and development initiatives and managed the automaker’s global product strategy and portfolio.
GUILLAUME CARTIER
The 30-year company veteran was named chief performance officer in December, expanding his role while continuing to oversee a number of regions including the Americas, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, India and Europe, as well as global sales and after-sales. Paris-based Cartier, who speaks French and English, first joined Nissan in 1995 as after-sales manager. He also worked for Nissan’s junior alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors.
JUN SEKI
Seki has been serving as chief strategy officer for the electric vehicle business of Taiwan’s Foxconn since early 2023. He joined Nissan in 1986 and rose through the ranks and at one point headed its China operations. He was widely considered a contender for the chief executive job, but lost out to current CEO Uchida in 2019. Seki was tasked with leading Nissan’s turnaround plan but departed to join Japanese motor maker Nidec in 2020. Two years later, he stepped down from Nidec to take responsibility for weakening earnings. Seki has been mentioned by domestic media as potential successor if Nissan were to tie up with Honda, Foxconn and Mitsubishi Motors through a four-way deal.
(Compiled by Daniel Leussink; Editing by David Dolan and Jamie Freed)
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