After 35 years in the automotive industry, including the last five years with Nissan Europe S.A.S., Mario Canavesi, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, has announced he is leaving the company effective December 31, 2004.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Brian Carolin, currently Vice President Sales Operations, is appointed Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Nissan Europe’s operations, replacing Canavesi. In this role, Carolin will oversee Nissan’s sales and marketing activities in over 30 countries across Europe and will report directly to Patrick Pelata, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. and Chairman of the Management Committee Europe.


“My time at Nissan Europe has been very rewarding and I am fortunate to have had the support of an excellent team, particularly during the last five years as we undertook the most significant turnaround in Nissan Europe’s history. It has been gratifying to see Nissan begin to live up to its potential in Europe and I am confident it will continue to grow, profitably for years to come,” said Canavesi.


Canavesi joined Nissan in March 2000 shortly after the Company announced the Nissan Revival Plan and following the Renault-Nissan Alliance. His previous responsibilities included a number of sales and marketing positions with Renault SA. Canavesi joined Renault’s advertising department in 1969 and his most recent position with Renault was as Managing Director for Renault Germany from 1997 to 2000.


“Mario has played a vital role in Nissan Europe’s swift return to profitability. He has made many needed changes in the sales and marketing organization and led the efforts to quickly improve Nissan’s distribution system across Europe,” said Pelata.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact