Nissan Motor Co’s independent board members met yesterday to select Carlos Ghosn’s successor as chairman.
Their choice to replace the ousted car titan, who sits in a Japanese jail, is to indicate the direction the automaker’s alliance with Renault SA will take.
The most likely successors fall on each end of the spectrum: CEO Hiroto Saikawa, who has emerged as a driving force behind the investigation into Ghosn’s financial reporting, and Toshiyuki Shiga, a former Ghosn confidante, people familiar with the situation have said.
The directors have already said they would choose an existing board member as the next chairman. The board is due to vote on their choice on Dec. 17.
At stake is the direction of the world’s biggest car alliance between Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors Corp, as differences surface among the companies.
The executive, who was arrested on Nov. 19 in Tokyo on allegations by Nissan of under-reporting his income and misusing company money for personal use, will likely be rearrested next week as prosecutors add a fresh claim, people familiar with the investigation said.
Saikawa’s ascendance to the position of chairman would solidify his power at Nissan, which wants to push for a more equitable partnership with Renault.
The balance of power at Nissan is now tilted toward Saikawa, who has turned from a Ghosn protege into one of the most vocal critics of his alleged wrongdoing.
Shiga’s selection would likely result in more collective management of Nissan.
Renault is the largest shareholder of Nissan and has voting rights in the company. Nissan is the second-largest shareholder in the French company, but has no power to vote. This has created an imbalance that has worsened over the years, with Nissan’s success in markets such as China and the US, where the French carmaker is absent.
Nissan has rejected external chairman candidates suggested by Renault, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters.
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