COMMENT: Renault quiet as executive seizes media initiative

France’s potent cocktail of industrial espionage, alleged foreign superpower involvement and the secret service has just been given another explosive ingredient to add to the Renault mix.

One of the three executives supposedly involved in the case – although Renault is being cautious enough to resolutely not name anyone – is thought to have filed a defamation complaint through high-profile lawyer Christian Charriere-Bournazel.

Renault has used some pretty strong language to describe what it thinks these un-named senior staff may have been up to – words used by the manufacturer range from “corruption, theft and concealment,” while it also refers to those who have “deliberately endangered the company’s assets.”

That’s as strong as it gets, but it now appears at least one of the Renault execs is fighting back.

Bertrand Rochette has put himself on the French airwaves in a bid to defend his position and clear his name.

“I noticed there was a wall of certainty concerning my guilt – I have never been able to obtain concrete elements,” he says, before aiming both barrels at suggestions he had Swiss bank accounts.

“I don’t believe in this Swiss bank accounts story,” he ripostes, noting: “I have come out of this even more uncertain and in incomprehension.”

Renault is now observing a period of silence following its recent tough words and calls to the manufacturer today (19 January) by just-auto were met with a “We don’t say anything at all.”

Rochette’s vehement rebuttal of any claims and his seizing of the media spotlight, coupled with his hiring of high-profile Charriere-Bournazel, puts Renault’s silence into stark relief.

Which begs the question, why would someone allow himself to go under the unwavering spotlight of media attention -a position juxtaposed to Renault’s reluctance to name names – if he wasn’t utterly convinced of his innocence? 

Just-auto has spoken both to lawyers believed to acting for Rochette and the Tribunal de Police in Boulogne-Bilancourt, who are thought to have received the defamation complaint, with further details expected later.

Renault’s silence is understandable if frustrating. Radio transcripts noting the automaker hired a private detective for three months are interesting, but will Renault make them public any time soon? Unlikely.

But this phenomenal story shows no sign of running out of steam as the intrigue grows daily.