Nissan Motor Corporation announced a number of new senior executive appointments for next year, as it looks to strengthen its management team ahead of what has been described as a critical year for the struggling Japanese automaker’s survival.

The appointments are part of Nissan’s recently announced turn-around plan and are designed to “enhance efficiency and resilience”, after the company reported a sharp deterioration in its financial performance in the second quarter of the current fiscal year, between July and September 2024.

At the beginning of December, the automaker announced the appointment of Guillaume Cartier as chief performance officer (CPO) and confirmed that it will make further changes to its management structure next year to create a “lean, flat structure that can respond flexibly and quickly to changes in the business environment.”

Stephen Ma, the company’s chief financial officer (CFO), will become the chairperson of the Management Committee for China from the beginning of the next fiscal year, reporting directly to the company’s CEO Makoto Uchida. He will focus on shaping the future strategy for the region and on enhancing the performance of Nissan’s local operations.

Jeremie Papin, currently chairperson of the Management Committee for Americas, will take over as CFO, reporting directly to the CEO. Mr Papin has significant experience in finance, strategy and business development within Nissan and the Alliance. Prior to this, he worked for over ten years in investment banking, focused mainly on the automotive sector.

Christian Meunier will join Nissan as chairperson of the Management Committee for Americas and will report directly to the CPO. Previously, he was CEO of Jeep and a member of Stellantis’ Executive Committee Stellantis and has significant sales and marketing experience from his previous leadership roles at Nissan US, Canada, Brazil and global Infiniti.

Hoshino will step down from her role as chairperson of the Management Committee for Japan and the ASEAN regions, but will remain as Chief Brand & Customer Officer (CBCO) for these markets – focusing on enhancing brand and customer experience.

Shohei Yamazaki, currently the chairperson of the Management Committee for China, will serve as chairperson of the Management Committee for Japan and the ASEAN and will report directly to the group’s CPO.

Nissan’s president and CEO Makoto Uchida said in a statement: “These leadership appointments will bring the necessary experience and urgency to the countermeasures we are taking to get the company back on track. With the support of our leadership team, we will carefully execute our turnaround actions to secure sustainable profits while focusing on future growth.”