Official: Makoto Uchida to step down as Nissan CEO

Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa to succeed Uchida

The reports have turned out to be true.

Nissan has pulled the trigger in making its senior management change. Starting April 1, 2025, the manufacturer will be under new leadership as current president and CEO Makoto Uchida is set to step down from his position.

He will be succeeded by current Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa, who is set to take up the role as Nissan’s 4th CEO in eight years, and the first non-Japanese head since Carlos Ghosn.

Along with Uchida, Chief Brand & Customer Officer Asako Hoshino, Chief Strategy & Corporate Affairs Officer Hideaki Watanabe, Chief Technology Officer & Executive Officer Kunio Nakaguro and Chief Monozukuri officer & Executive officer, responsible for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Hideyuki Sakamoto are also set to step down from their current roles.

The latest senior management change comes after the failed Nissan-Honda merger talks that would have created the world’s third largest auto company by volume. As Nissan continues to navigate through its financial woes, the changing of the guard could restart negotiations with Honda again.

Reports say Honda is still open for merger talks, but only with a different CEO. Now that Nissan is set to do that, there could be some interesting developments on the way. As always, watch this space for more updates.