Nissan Names First American Board Member

Nissan Motor Co. has nominated Greg Kelly, its senior vice president for legal, human resources and other administrative operations, to join the company's nine-member board.

If shareholders approve the appointment at their annual meeting on June 26, Kelly would become Nissan's first American board member. He will replace Carlos Tavares, COO of affiliate Renault SA, who is stepping down from the board but will continue in his Renault job. Renault owns 44% of Nissan, which owns15% of the French carmaker.

Unlike most large Japanese companies, almost half of Nissan's board members are non-Japanese. CEO Carlos Ghosn and his advisor Jean-Baptiste Duzan are French. Colin Dodge, who oversees Americas operations, is British. Tavares is Portuguese.