A French government delegation has told Tokyo that it would seek an integration of Renault and Nissan, most probably under the umbrella of a single holding company, the Nikkei noted on Sunday.
The delegation, which consisted French government-designated Renault director Martin Vial, also stated that it wanted to name Nissan’s next chairman, according to the report. Nissan was not available for discussion at the moment.
Nissan ex-chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrested and detained in Tokyo since November 19, has been indicted in Japan on charges of under-reporting his earning for eight years through March 2018, and temporarily moving personal investment losses to Nissan during the worldwide financial crisis. Ghosn has rejected all these charges.
The French government has asked Renault hold a board meeting in coming days to replace Ghosn. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire stated in a newspaper interview published on Sunday that Michelin Chief Executive Jean-Dominique Senard could be a good choice to lead Renault.
“The French state, as shareholder, will have its say. What I can tell you, is that Jean-Dominique Senard has a renowned competence with regards to the automobile industry,” Le Maire informed France’s Journal du Dimanche newspaper.
