Nissan Poised to Name Global Infiniti Chief

Nissan Motor Co. is close to appointing an executive to head the worldwide operations of its Infiniti luxury brand, says CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Ghosn tells reporters at Infiniti's newly opened headquarters in Hong Kong that Nissan expects the brand's sales in China which jumped 40% to 19,000 units in 2011 to climb 50% this year. The company has said it aims to sell 100,000 Infiniti vehicles there by 2016. China is key to Nissan's goal of boosting worldwide Infiniti sales to more than tripling sales to 500,000 units in four years.

Nissan says it expects to win Beijing's approval within a month to make Infiniti vehicles in China with joint venture partner Dongfeng Motor Group Co. The Japanese company announced last month it plans to begin producing two Infiniti models in China by 2014.