Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn brought the heat in an exclusive interview with Fox Business, criticising the automaker and explained why the global auto alliance that he built did not sit well with the Japanese government.
Ghosn, now branded a fugitive after fleeing to Lebanon while out on bail, claimed that his arrest was motivated by Nissan’s desire for “autonomy,” which ultimately stunted growth.
“Nissan came back to what it was in 1999, unfortunately, after 19 years of work, as a boring and mediocre car company, which is going to be struggling to try to find its place in the car industry,” Ghosn said. “We were building a system where this company would be a part of something completely new with a lot of technical innovation,” he added.
Ghosn told his part of the story in his new book Broken Alliances, claiming that the “Japanese government and some Japanese executives thought that this balance existing between the French and the Japanese in this alliance would not be respected,” and that “the French government was acting in a way to have a much bigger share in their say of this alliance.”
The Lebanese businessman claimed his arrest was to prevent the mergers from happening, and adamantly insisted his innocence. By the end of the trial, Ghosn also believes there will be no real winner. “This is the kind of plot organised by people where, at the end of the day, you discover there is no winner. Japan lost its reputation. The French lost. Nissan lost, Renault lost, Mitsubishi lost, the shareholders lost.
Prior to his escape from Japan in 2019, Ghosn was held in solitary confinement for months without being allowed to speak with his wife and family. During the trial, his request for an independent court interpreter was denied, because the court has a sworn translator. The discussions in the trial proceedings were all conducted in Japanese.
Ghosn fled the country in a container meant for concert equipment after it became clear that he would have “zero” chances of a fair trial. His arrest also drew international scrutiny and criticism of Japan’s legal system and its 99% conviction rate.
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Only they the person involved know what is exactly going on.
This is all politics, pride and full control of the company. This is a complex shareholding arrangement.
I remember Nissan are nearly bankrupt which Renault comes in to buy stakes in Nissan. In turn Nissan will hold Renault Share and this form the Alliance. Both company will sent in board member and of course whoever have the biggest share in the company will have more board member and bigger say.
Carlos is just the CEO to run the company and he need to balance both request from Renault and Nissan board member representative. Perhaps, Nissan unhappy when Carlos sided the French. Too greedy will upset the Japanese which put loyalty as first place.
Japan being the biggest car maker will not easily give way. This is their pride
This is also happen to Proton Partnership with Mitusbishi. When Proton decided to explore alternative JV with Citroen to launch Tiara.
Not loyalty but maruah is their first place.
Kesian le French. After getting shafted by the Japs now got shafted by Auskus.
Don’t play play with Jepunis government.
Exactly like plot against bossku, the smear propaganda, and downfall of a stable caring rule. Now Msia lost, rakyat lost, investors lost, FDI incoming lost, stability lost, it also consumed the victors so they also lost, their fansies & paid sapoters lost, only their cronies won but 1 by 1 start hauling them to court, and sing they do sweetly against their political overlords and their WA messages are so cringeworthy that some might say this main star of the act has taken a peculiar hobby from bossdia.
Good joke
Unfortunately, Malaysia’s future was the butt end of that joke when we wasted 22 months and all those opportunities went to other countries. That was no laughing matter.
Yes, only the unwell & the unenergetic would think that Carlos Ghosn & his new book had anything to do with Malaysian politics & the nation’s future.
Those who do not learn from history of others are doomed to repeat them.
Copy paste: “Good joke”
Make this into a based-on-a-true-story movie & Carlos may earn enough from the royalties so that he need not have to work in the auto industry again.
so corrupted but got so much to say, he really should work in malaysia
Those who throw corruption accusations should check they are not corrupted themselves.
Politics or pointing fingers aside. All I know is that Nissan car quality has plummeted since Ghosn took over. Coincidence?
Now that he is gone, Nissan is showing some cool looking cars again like the new Z.
New Z is effing boring, with ‘Z’ero creativity preferring to mash design elements of past cars. During Ghosn era, we got the still evergreen monster GTR which looks totally original from the previous cars. The 370Z also is original compared to new Z.
because the nissan under him were generally renaults