FILE PHOTO: Nissan Motor Co Ltd Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa speaks at a news conference in Yokohama, in this photo taken by Kyodo February 12, 2019. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
TOKYO (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co CEO Hiroto Saikawa said on Thursday he was not aware of discussions about the possibility that its French partner Renault SA was considering a bid for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
When asked by reporters whether he had heard about the talks, cited in a media report the previous day, Saikawa responded: “Not at all”.
The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Renault intends to restart merger talks with Nissan within 12 months, after which it would set its sights on a bid to buy Fiat Chrysler.
Saikawa also said that the company would “seriously consider” recommendations by an external committee on how to improve Nissan’s governance, after the group announced the findings of its investigation of the company.
Reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Writing by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim