Nissan Hires New CEO As Challenges Mount
Nissan has found its next CEO. The automaker announced Ivan Espinosa as its next chief executive, replacing outgoing CEO Makoto Uchida after five years leading the company. The 46-year-old will take the reins at Nissan on April 1.
Espinosa has worked at Nissan for over 20 years and joined the company the same year as Uchida. He’s viewed as a talented product guy with a broad view of the automaker’s international operations. Uchida’s time ended with some employees losing confidence and Nissan’s future uncertain.
Nissan’s credit rating has fallen into junk status, and its recent merger talks with Honda fell apart earlier this year. The automaker also faces a major debt issue in 2026 and has seen sales slide, giving Espinosa a significant challenge when he takes office next month.
Despite those issues, there is some hope for Nissan. Its talks with Honda broke up after Nissan execs balked at the automaker becoming a subsidiary of Honda rather than an equal partner, but that could change. Honda said it would be open to restarting the talks if Nissan hired a new CEO, leaving the door open to future negotiations.
Uchida had some success after Carlos Ghosn left Nissan, reversing its slide in profitability for a period last year, but times have been tough since. His turnaround plans aimed to boost sales, but the automaker lost money instead, forcing Nissan into cost-cutting mode with layoffs and production cuts.
[Jromero04, syl1rob1, oleg_aryutkin via Shutterstock]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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At this point they should just start building the Altima with mismatched fenders and 5 owners. Those are about the only Nissans you see in any number at least.
Based on my sister's experience with her CVT Nissan, haven't been on my radar scope for years. Now, a three pot turbo in the Rouge?
Nissan will become another Mitsubishi. Just a brand based on someone else's platforms.
Renault better bail out while there's still money in the kitty!!🚗🚗🚗