That should allow everyone to save face. For several weeks, Renault had spoken with the entourage of Carlos Ghosn to discuss his resignation. According to our information, it is now acquired.
“Carlos Ghosn has been informed, both through the representatives of the State and by the group’s lawyers, of Renault’s desire to put in place sustainable governance. But he always said that he did not want to be an obstacle for Renault or the Alliance, “says a source close to CEO.
The directors of the Diamond will not have to make him undergo the humiliating stage of the revocation. And he can devote himself to his defense in Japan, where he always claims his innocence.
Thursday board meeting
Renault’s board will meet on Thursday to announce the resignation of the imprisoned boss and appoint his successors. Except last minute surprise, it will be Jean-Dominique Senard, who will will take the non-executive chair of the builder , and Thierry Bolloré, who will become managing director. This choice is supported by the French State, which holds 15% of the group’s capital and favors two-headed governments.
Jean-Dominique Senard will be the eleventh president in the history of Renault, if we include the interim of Aimé Jardon after the death of George Besse in 1986. The future former president of Michelin, who was to leave his functions in Clermont-Ferrand in May, will have for first mission to renew the links more than distended with Nissan, and to supervise the managerial transition at Renault – in particular according to what will come out of the internal investigations within the former management and of the Dutch structure of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
For his part, Thierry Bolloré, the former right hand man of Carlos Ghosn, who had promised him that he would be managing director in January, will have the no less delicate task of managing the group’s operations in connection with his Nissan counterpart, in a difficult sector context.
Output package
The next step will be the governance of the Alliance, but also of Nissan (which still has no president). Discussions on this subject with the Japanese side are ongoing. As a reminder, Renault owns 43% of Nissan, which holds 15% of Renault.
As for Carlos Ghosn, who saw the judges reject this morning for the third time his request for bail, he does not know exactly yet to which output package he will have right. “There is nothing to negotiate. There is a contract, which must determine what the group owes him, neither more nor less, “says a source close to Renault. In any case, it must be validated in general meeting. The next meeting of Renault shareholders is currently scheduled for June 12.