Nissan announces multiple management changes

Nissan Motor Company Ltd. on March 13 announced changes and promotions within its senior global management team. All changes are effective April 1, 2009.

"Nissan continues to improve the depth, breadth and quality of its global management team," said Nissan president and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "By making these appointments in the midst of a financial and economic crisis affecting countries and companies throughout the world, we are taking steps to ensure that Nissan is well positioned to successfully face the immediate challenges and to take full advantage of the recovery when the economic storm is over."

Executive Committee Members

• Colin Dodge, senior vice president, chief recovery officer and the head of the region encompassing Africa, the Middle East, India and Europe is appointed executive vice president.

Senior Vice Presidents

• Hitoshi Kawaguchi, senior vice president, will now be responsible for External and Government Affairs and Intellectual Asset Management.
• Toshiharu Sakai, senior vice president, will now be responsible for the Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Division, with operations at plants in Oppama, Tochigi, Kyushu, Yokohama, and Iwaki.
• Shigeaki Kato, corporate vice president, New-Vehicle Production Development, is appointed senior vice president, Production Engineering Division.
• Takao Katagiri, corporate vice president, Japan Marketing Division, is appointed senior vice president, Japan Marketing & Sales.
• Greg Kelly, corporate vice president, CEO/COO office, is appointed senior vice president, and will also become responsible for Global Human Resources and Global Communications.

Corporate Vice Presidents
Ten managers will be newly appointed as corporate vice presidents and become corporate officers:

• Takao Asami, returns to Nissan from his assignment to Renault, and is appointed corporate vice president, Nissan Research Center.
• Alan Buddendeck, vice president Corporate Communications, Nissan North America, is appointed corporate vice president, Global Communications, CSR and Global Brand Communications.
• Vincent Cobee, program director, is appointed corporate vice president, Entry Platform Vehicles.
• Shohei Kimura, chief executive officer, Nissan Motor India Private Ltd., is appointed corporate vice president, New-Vehicle Production Development.
• John Martin, vice president, Supply-Chain Management, Nissan North America, is appointed corporate vice president, Global Supply-Chain Management.
• Hideto Murakami, senior vice president, Nissan International SA, is appointed corporate vice president, Global Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) Business Unit.
• Shuichi Nishimura, deputy general manager, Powertrain Engineering Division, is appointed corporate vice president, Powertrain Engineering Division.
• Toru Saito, senior vice president, Nissan International SA, is appointed corporate vice president, Global Infiniti Business Unit.
• Yusuke Takahashi, senior manager, Process and Resource Management, is appointed corporate vice president, Human Resources (Japan) and Diversity Development.
• Hiroaki Tsugawa, president of Shiga Nissan, is appointed corporate vice president, Sales Support Division and Regional Companies, Fleet Business Division.

Fellow

• Haruyoshi Kumura, corporate vice president, Nissan Research Center, is appointed Fellow, Technology Intelligence.

Officers retiring or leaving Nissan
Six corporate officers (vice chairman, senior vice presidents and corporate vice presidents) will retire or leave the company:

• Tadao Takahashi, vice chairman, will retire effective March 31, 2009. He also will retire as director of the company at the next annual general shareholders meeting to be held in June, 2009.
• Kazuhiko Toida, senior vice president, will be proposed as executive of Faltec Co., Ltd. and Altia Co., Ltd.
• Yo Usuba, senior vice president, will be proposed as executive of Jatco Ltd.
• Yoshiaki Watanabe, senior vice president, will be proposed as executive of Nissan Shatai Co., Ltd.
• Shuichi Otani, corporate vice president, will be proposed as executive of Nissan Shatai Co., Ltd.
• Akihiro Ishiwatari, corporate vice president, will be proposed as executive of Nissan Trading Co., Ltd.