Renault has implemented sweeping changes to its management structure following its industrial espionage affair, with chief operating officer Patrick Pelata’s request to resign accepted by the board, though he has been offered a role elsewhere in the Renault-Nissan alliance.
Pelata’s decision to step down had been widely expected following the spy scandal that saw three sacked Renault executives completely exonerated of any wrongdoing by the Paris Prosecutor.
Go deeper with GlobalData
“Patrick Pelata asked to be relieved from his duties after acquainting himself with the audit report,” a Renault statement said. “This request was accepted. He will continue to manage current operations until he leaves Renault. He will then be offered other duties inside the group formed by the Renault-Nissan alliance.”
Renault has also wielded the axe over director of group security Remi Pagnie and his colleagues Dominique Gevrey and Marc Tixador of whom the automaker said: “Procedures in view of their leaving the company will be implemented.”
Senior executive staff manager Jean-Yves Coudriou and head of the legal department Christian Husson are “relieved of their duties pending discussions concerning their future” while the same has happened to general secretary Laurence Dors due to what Renault sad are changes to the company’s ‘general secretariat’.
Renault has previously said it would compensate its three fired executives – Michel Balthazard, Matthieu Tenenbaum and Bertrand Rochette and said it had arrived at an “agreement” with the three although it did not specify any financial amount.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataFollowing the recommendations of the accounting and audit committee, Renault said it would also appoint an ethics manager, reporting to the chairman, who will lead the ethics committee replacing the present compliance committee.
“This extraordinary meeting of the board of directors has turned a painful leaf in the history of Renault,” said Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn.
“Beyond the executives involved, all the employees of Renault have suffered from this crisis. This is the reason for which major changes have been made in order to restore trust in the company. Patrick Pelata will leave Renault without leaving the group. I thank him for his action at the service of Renault and of the Alliance.”
Renault listed a catalogue of “dysfunction” that led to the extraordinary affair which has rarely left the front pages of France’s media since the turn of the year.
Noting the way in which the matter was investigated was “deliberately concealed from the board of directors” and from the audit committee, Renault added the matter was not referred to the internal audit department but it should have been “since fraud was involved”.
Further dysfunctions included: keeping the official departments responsible in the dark, where espionage was involved; termination of employees on the basis of unsupported accusations which they were unable to answer and internal and external communications leaving no room for doubt over a period of several weeks.
Further details are in Renault’s statement.
