Nysschen Leaves as Head of Nissan’s Infiniti Brand

Former Audi executive Johan de Nysschen has resigned as president of Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti luxury brand.

De Nysschen, now 54, was president of Audi of America when he left in June 2012 to join Infiniti as the marque established its headquarters in Hong Kong.

Since then he has been credited with leading a successful effort to expand Infiniti into new global markets. The brand's worldwide sales surged 30% to 101,200 units in the first half of 2014, led by big gains in China and the U.S.

Infiniti Chairman Andy Palmer tells Automotive News that de Nysschen quit because of a strong desire to return to the U.S., where his family remained when he took the Infiniti job.

Palmer will assume de Nysschen's duties until the company finds a permanent replacement.