Renault’s New Chairman to Begin Talks with Nissan’s CEO This Week

The heads of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. are scheduled to meet in Japan on Thursday for two days of talks about the alliance between their companies.

Jean-Dominique Senard, selected last month to replace Carlos Ghosn as chairman of Renault, will huddle with Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa. The Nissan chief tells reporters the objective is for Senard to learn more about Nissan’s management team.

Renault, which owns 43% of Nissan, selected Senard to replace Ghosn on the Japanese carmaker’s board. The French government, which holds a 15% stake in Renault, wants Senard also to replace Ghosn as Nissan’s chairman.

Both companies want to continue their 20-year-old alliance. But Nissan has been cautious about Senard’s role at Nissan and wary of efforts to fully integrate the two companies under a European holding company.