Nissan Motor Co chief executive officer Hiroto Saikawa spoke of his “resentment and dismay” at revelations of misconduct by former chairman Carlos Ghosn in a letter to company employees.
Saikawa said he could not reveal all details of what had happened because the case was still under investigation, but the company accused Ghosn of having under-reported compensation amounts, misrepresented the company’s investments and used company assets for personal use.
It also accused former representative director Greg Kelly of having masterminded the fraud with Ghosn. The company dismissed Ghosn and Kelly on Thursday.
As someone who had devoted himself to the Nissan revival plan, “I am left with great resentment and dismay that is difficult to articulate,” Saikawa wrote.
“I truly regret, and would like to apologize for, us betraying and completely letting down our customers, business partners and other stakeholders who supported us after our revival,” he wrote.
The internal memo invited all staff to a “town hall” meeting tomorrow with Saikawa to discuss the future of the company.
Ghosn has since Monday been held in custody in Japan accused of having understated his income by about ￥5 billion (US$44.27 million) between June 2011 and June 2015.
Japanese prosecutors have also accused Kelly of having a role in the offenses.
Although the Nissan board sacked Ghosn and Kelly, they have made it clear that they want their alliance with Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Co to survive.
The board of Mitsubishi was reportedly set to meet tomorrow to discuss Ghosn’s future.
Renault’s board has so far stood by Ghosn — naming his deputy Thierry Bollore to handle day-to-day business.
Renault employs almost 50,000 people in France and the French state owns 15 percent of the company. Renault, in turn, owns 43 percent of Nissan. The shareholders’ pact gives more weight to Paris than to Tokyo, a long-running source of frustration for the Japanese.
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