Nissan's leadership may be on the verge of a shake-up as the automaker's board prepares to discuss potential successors for CEO Makoto Uchida, whose position is under scrutiny amid the company's financial struggles, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.
The board meeting, scheduled for March 11, will focus on identifying possible candidates to replace Uchida, whose tenure has been marked by Nissan’s weak performance.
According to three individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions, Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin and Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa are among those being considered. However, neither is viewed as a guaranteed choice due to their connections to the current management’s challenges.
Nissan has not publicly commented on the matter, and the individuals who disclosed the information requested anonymity, as the details have not been made public.
Uchida, who took over as CEO in late 2019, was tasked with stabilizing Nissan following the fallout from former CEO Carlos Ghosn’s departure. Despite efforts to streamline operations and improve profitability, the company has continued to struggle in a highly competitive global auto market.
Nissan’s talks with Honda about a merger fell through in February, ending plans to form what could have been the world's third-largest automaker. The decision followed disagreements over the structure of the proposed integration, with Honda seeking to make Nissan a subsidiary rather than forming a new holding company.
