Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who despite being out on bail, was re-arrested last week on fresh allegations that he used company funds to enrich himself by up to US$5 million – has addressed the public for the first time since he was first arrested last year.
In the video above, he professed his love for Japan and Nissan (untainted despite his recent ordeal), which he has served for 20 years. Ghosn said that while he was painted as greedy dictator, he is innocent of the charges. It’s a plot and a conspiracy, a backstabbing by former colleagues, he claimed.
“This is a conspiracy. This is not about greed or dictatorship, this is about a plot, this about a conspiracy, this is about a backstabbing,” Ghosn said in the video, released by his lawyers. The former Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance chief said that the conspiracy was borne out of fear that he would bring Nissan closer to its top shareholder, Renault.
“There was fear that the next step of the alliance in terms of convergence and in terms of moving towards a merger, would in a certain way threaten some people, or eventually threaten the autonomy of Nissan,” he said.
Ghosn explained that this autonomy has never been threatened in the last 19 years that it was in the Alliance, and that he is the fiercest defender of that autonomy. “But this autonomy must be based on performance. The performance of Nissan is not good, it has degraded a lot.”
He then pointed fingers at “a few executives, who for their own interest and their own selfish fears, are creating a lot of value destruction.” Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa? “Names, you know them. We’re talking about people who really played a very dirty game,” Ghosn said, adding that “hopefully, the truth and facts will happen.”
There will be plenty more drama to come in this episode, that’s for sure. Evidence and details will surface when the case is played out in court, and it’s clear that Ghosn isn’t going down without a fight.
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This modern days, we do not practiced forced marriage anymore unless underage in certain tribes. Renault-Nissan shouldnt be forced into one too, so Carlos obviously in the wrong here. Just 2 cents
One owns the other. Just like Barca can force Neymar to continue staying in there while he still has a valid agreement of servitude unless he bought out his contract. So what Nissan should do instead of backstabbing their bosses? Buy out their agreement as Neymar did.
There is rarely right or wrong in matter like this. Ghosn might feel entitled as saviour of Nissan and intend to merge Nissan and Renault forcefully, thus triggering dissenters in Nissan rank to oust him. Nissan meanwhile should just buyback its shares from Renault if it doesn’t want the merger without resorting to sneaky tactics and now increasingly looks like character assassination of Ghosn. When you play the game of corporate thrones, you either win or you got in jail.
Yep. This minor compared to Solar project here.
Ghosn always wanted the Alliance of Nissan and Renault to thrive and become the biggest carmaker in the world. You can see that in his past actions. If he really want to absorb Nissan into Renault, he could have easily done it when Nissan was weak. The fact is Nissan is losing sales in North America and stagnating in China amid quality and reliability issues.
but you are wrong, in Malaysia got so many 9 and 11 year old.
I see one such above
Nissan cars are doing very well worldwide and especially in Malaysia.
This is because Nissan quality is very good. People in Malaysia have confidence in Nissan cars
Hope things going well for you Mr. Ghosn and the justice reveals. You have been my idol since your entrance in Nissan…
We need more people like Ghosn and Li Chunrong to run not only our car companies but also our lazy GLCs
He saved it, brought it back to prosperity from the brink of collapse, made it profitable in a short timeframe, improved its image around the world, it was going to have bright future under him, only to get backstabbed and pulled down by others. This is the thanks he gets after all that effort and hardwork.
Yep, just like a certain ex-leader. Gud leaders become unappreciated, while sycophant and joker leaders thrives.
Financial misconduct and embezzlements actually very common in corporate world. People must accept this is new norms. Gud leaders like President Xi Jinping become unappreciated , got all the brickbats for his corruption- busting war . Mind you his wifey not a fan of Birkin bag or Y Suku motorbike.
Yeah kleptocrats !!
Kleptocracy that benefits the rakyat is no problem. Kleptocracy that sucks the rakyat money so soon after his return is the big problem
Learn to respect all car brands, Wilson Khoo.
good one bro, Mr Wilson Khoo is very frustrated. Probably got sacked from ETCM for sleeping on the job
Ghosn inspires me alot, he sacrifices so much of his life to Nissan yet he gets such treatment.. no matter how, screw those ungrateful Japanese top management for turning their back on Carlos
Hope things going well for you Mr.Ghosn
Geely welcome you…
Its not right, but its quite normal for ceo of any company to enrich themself
Your yingelis makes my ear pain…
Are we still getting Skyline? That’s the most important question. Anyway, I can’t afford one…
In Japan, the criminal justice system has a conviction rate that exceeds 99%. In other words, when you are prosecuted, you are already surely convicted. Sad.
HAHA, official youtube channel can’t leave any comments.
Probably questions about his SONGLAP thingy… anyway worlds still turn and Nissan still offer crappy quality cars locally in Malaysia.
poor dude looks so old now…
got tortured i bet
well ure a foreigner in japan, a highly nationalistic country…gaijins need to know their term there…dont overstay