Nissan Taps COO to Head EV Strategy

Nissan Motor Co. has given Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga the added responsibilities of overseeing zero-emission vehicle planning and strategy and the company's global battery business.

He succeeds Hideaki Watanabe, who is leaving to head the electronics unit at parts affiliate Calsonic Kansei Corp.

Nissan has made electric vehicles central to its emission and fuel economy strategies. But sales of the company's Leaf EV are running well below target volumes.

Other new appointments for senior management, all of which take effect on April 1, include:

• Hiroto Saikawa, the company's purchasing chief for Asia, adds the newly created position of chief competitive officer with responsibility for better coordinating Nissan's R&D, supply chain, manufacturing and customer service.
• Takao Asami becomes senior vice president for planning and advanced engineering development.
• Kunio Nakaguro is promoted corporate vice president of the company's research center.