Nissan has named Ivan Espinosa as its next chief executive officer, effective April 1, in a leadership change reflecting the automaker’s renewed focus on product development following years of declining profits and management instability.
Espinosa, currently Nissan’s chief planning officer, will succeed Makoto Uchida, whose departure comes amid mounting pressure over weakened earnings and the collapse of potential merger talks with fellow Japanese automaker Honda.
Espinosa, 46, joined Nissan in 2003 and has held leadership roles across Mexico, Southeast Asia and Europe. In his current position, he has spearheaded global product strategy and development initiatives, particularly focused on advancing the company’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
“He’s a very passionate product guy,” Christopher Richter, Japan auto analyst at CLSA, told CNN Business. “I think it sends a good signal that Nissan wants to give product a higher priority because the Nissan brand has been drifting for a long time and not really standing for that much, and so putting a strong product guy in charge, that could be interesting.”
The leadership transition comes as Nissan confronts a host of challenges. The company has revised its profit forecast downward three times during the current fiscal year ending March 31. Nissan, Japan’s third-largest automaker, also continues to navigate the fallout from the 2018 ouster of former chairman Carlos Ghosn and the resulting brand damage and internal upheaval.
The company’s market position has further eroded amid increased competition from Chinese EV manufacturers, which have reshaped the global industry with tech-forward, software-driven vehicles. Compounding Nissan’s challenges are its delayed rollout of hybrid models in the U.S. and growing trade concerns over potential tariffs on vehicles exported from its manufacturing base in Mexico.
It remains unclear whether Espinosa’s appointment could revive merger discussions with Honda or lead to investment from another strategic partner. However, his selection may reflect a decisive shift in priorities for the automaker.
Espinosa assumed his current planning officer role in April 2024, part of an executive shake-up intended to accelerate Nissan’s EV strategy and streamline its global product portfolio.
