Three Candidates in Quest for New Nissan CEO?

Three prospects currently lead the list of candidates to take over as CEO of Nissan Motor Co., multiple sources tell Reuters.

Current CEO Hiroto Saikawa will step down on Sept. 16, taking the blame for the company’s performance slump and an array of financial irregularities uncovered by an investigation into alleged wrongdoing by former Chairman Carlos Ghosn.

Multiple sources tell Reuters that top prospects at the moment are Makoto Uchida, currently head of Nissan operations in China, and Jun Seki, Uchida’s predecessor and current head of the team leading Nissan’s turnaround efforts.

Chief Operating Officer Yasuhiro Yamauchi, who will serve as interim CEO, also is a viable contender, according to Reuters’ sources. They note that other candidates also may emerge.

Reports say the Nissan boars committee assigned to find a permanent new CEO—Nissan’s third in as many years—hope to finalize their recommendation by October.