Nissan appoints Ivan Espinosa as CEO amid leadership shake-up

Nissan Motor Co. on Tuesday announced that Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa will take over as the automaker’s chief executive from April 1, ending weeks of speculation over Makoto Uchida’s successor, as per media reports.

The Japanese carmaker confirmed the leadership transition in a statement, adding that Uchida will be stepping down amid mounting pressure due to the company’s declining earnings and the recent collapse of merger talks with Honda.

Nissan is scheduled to hold a press conference at 0930 GMT to provide further details on the transition.

Espinosa emerged as a leading contender for the top job, with his name previously floated by Japanese media reports and sources, alongside other senior executives including Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin and Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier.

Espinosa, who joined Nissan in 2003, has spent much of his career in Mexico, with stints across Southeast Asia and Europe.

His expertise spans product planning, development initiatives, and global product strategy, making him a key figure in shaping Nissan’s future direction.

His appointment comes less than a year after he assumed his current role as Chief Planning Officer in April 2024, a position he took as part of a corporate shake-up aimed at accelerating Nissan’s shift to electric vehicles (EVs).