Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi CEOs to Review Their Alliance

The CEOs of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors plan a one-hour teleconference on Nov. 29 to discuss the future of their alliance, according to media reports.

Their special session will follow the partnership’s regular meeting in the Netherlands that day. The discussion will be attended only by Hiro Saikawa (Nissan), Thierry Bollore (Renault) and Osamu Masuko (MMC).

The partners have expressed a determination to continue their 19-year-old alliance after last week’s arrest of Carlos Ghosn on suspicions of financial misconduct. He had chaired all three companies and the partnership itself. Ghosn has since been removed as chairman at Nissan and MMC.

But Nissan has been unhappy for years with the partnership’s power balance and is expected to demand adjustments that reflect its 60% share of the alliance’s sales. Renault owns 44% of Nissan and has considerable control over the Japanese carmaker’s major business decisions. Nissan holds a nonvoting 15% stake in Renault and a controlling 34% share in MMC.