Nissan Chief Hiroto Saikawa on Thursday welcomed new leadership at Renault replacing detained tycoon Carlos Ghosn and hoped for a “new chapter” in ties between the fractious partners.
“In the big picture, this is a big milestone that we are reaching. We are starting a new chapter. So, I welcome this new leadership of Renault,” Saikawa told reporters.
Earlier on Thursday, the French carmaker said it had named Thierry Bollore as its new chief executive and Jean-Dominique Senard as board chairman, replacing Ghosn following his arrest in Japan for alleged financial misconduct.
In a development that stunned Japan and the wider business world, Ghosn was arrested on November 19 at a Tokyo airport and has been in detention since fighting charges of financial misconduct that he denies.
Saikawa said that since the November arrest, communication between the two companies had been “a bit difficult,” citing Renault’s decision to keep Ghosn as nominal head whereas Nissan sacked him as chairman almost immediately.
“Going forward, I’m looking forward to better communication,” said Saikawa, who oversaw the probe into the alleged misconduct of Ghosn, his mentor at Nissan.
