Munoz’s absence comes as Ghosn has been held in a detention centre since his Nov 19 arrest on allegations of financial misconduct, which was followed by re-arrests over further allegations. Munoz is considered by many in the company to be a close ally of Ghosn, whose arrest has rocked the auto industry and strained Nissan’s ties with French partner Renault SA (RENA.PA) where he still remains chairman and chief executive. After stripping Ghosn of his chairman position following his arrest, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa has called for changes to weaken the clout of controlling shareholder Renault. Munoz, who serves as Nissan’s chief performance officer, joined the automaker in 2004 in Europe, and led its ambitious expansion in North America after the global financial crisis. Earlier this year Nissan tapped Munoz to oversee its operations in China, where it plans to ramp up sales over the next few years.

Source: bd News24 January 05, 2019 03:22 UTC