One of the most controversial figures in the automotive industry, a 70-year-old former executive, is known for his candid remarks. Recently, he described Nissan as "boring, mediocre" and in a "bad position," and labeled the Renault-Nissan alliance as "small and fragile." Now, he has turned his attention to the newly established Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi partnership. In a recent interview with Automotive News, he claimed that Honda is orchestrating a "disguised takeover" of both Nissan and Mitsubishi, positioning itself as the dominant player due to its larger size among the three Japanese automakers. Although the specifics of the new partnership are yet to be fully disclosed, he asserts that Honda will be the one calling the shots.
"I can't envision how this partnership between Honda and Nissan will function without it being a takeover, specifically a disguised takeover by Honda of Nissan and Mitsubishi, with Honda in the driver's seat. It's clearly going to be a takeover scenario," he explained to Automotive News. He also noted that during his tenure as CEO of Nissan, which spanned from June 2001 to April 2017, a collaboration with Honda was never considered. He initially joined Nissan in 1999 as COO when the Renault-Nissan alliance was formed, with Renault acquiring a 43.4 percent stake in Nissan. Renault later decided to sell back five percent to Nissan in late 2023.
Prior to his role at Nissan, he was instrumental in restructuring Renault while serving as Executive Vice President. His aggressive restructuring strategies earned him the nickname "Le Cost Killer." His career took a dramatic turn when he was arrested in November 2018 on charges of financial misconduct and underreporting his salary. He later escaped house arrest in Japan in December 2019, fleeing to Lebanon, a country that does not extradite its citizens. His escape involved a daring late-night flight on a charter jet, where he hid inside a box. Reflecting on this experience in a 2021 BBC interview, he described the 30-minute wait in the box as "the longest wait" he had ever endured.
In 2024, he resides in Lebanon, where he teaches at a local college and provides business advice to startups. Regarding the ongoing legal battles, he remains confident, stating, "I have my lawyers. They are handling it." The details of the Honda-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, announced on August 1, remain unclear. However, Honda and Nissan have separately agreed to collaborate on batteries, electric motors, and software-defined vehicles (SDVs). They also plan to complement each other's vehicle ranges with combustion and fully electric models. Nissan maintains a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi.
