Nissan Announces Major Leadership Changes Amid Financial Challenges

Nissan has appointed Ivan Espinosa as its new CEO, replacing Makoto Uchida. The executive team is also undergoing a major reshuffle to address financial struggles and market shifts. Learn more.

Nissan has announced major leadership changes, appointing a new CEO and restructuring its executive committee. These shifts come amid financial difficulties, declining sales, and the urgent need to adapt to the evolving global automotive landscape.

Effective April 1, 2025, Ivan Espinosa will take over as CEO, replacing Makoto Uchida. Espinosa, formerly the company’s Chief Planning Officer, has extensive experience with Nissan’s internal operations and long-term vision. His primary challenge will be steering the company out of its current financial struggles and accelerating the Nissan Ambition 2030 strategy, which focuses on electrification and technological innovation.

The executive committee has also undergone significant restructuring. Guillaume Cartier, previously responsible for business performance, will now oversee global marketing and customer experience. Eiichi Akashi has been appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO), replacing Kunio Nakaguro, while Teiji Hirata will now lead manufacturing and supply chain management. Meanwhile, Jérémie Papin, who remains Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has also been promoted to Executive Officer.

These leadership changes are not just about strengthening Nissan’s position—they are a response to a difficult 2024. The company reported over $500 million in losses and has been forced to scale down production to cut costs. Sales have been particularly weak in China and North America, where Nissan struggled to keep up with shifting market demands.

This shake-up is happening within the broader context of global industry restructuring. Toyota recently revamped its board of directors, bringing in external experts and strengthening its auditing roles. Volkswagen and Skoda had already reshuffled key leadership positions back in 2022 to address market shifts.

The big question now is whether Nissan’s new leadership can rise to the challenge and put the company back on a path to growth. The success of its strategy will depend not only on internal reforms but also on how quickly Nissan can adapt to an increasingly competitive market—especially in the electric vehicle sector, where the race is getting tougher.

Source: global.nissannews.com