Nissan's New CEO Starts Career Delivering Bad News to Investors

by Chris Teague

Published: June 26th, 2025

nissan s new ceo starts career delivering bad news to investors

Nissan recently appointed a new CEO, who almost immediately jumped into bad news delivery mode. Ivan Espinosa reported a $4.5 billion loss for the automaker in the last financial year and projected a further $1.38 billion loss in the first quarter of this fiscal year at today’s exchange rates.

Espinosa reported the numbers at a recent investor’s meeting, which was attended by a little over 1,000 of the automaker’s backers. The group had strong opinions about the company’s performance to date, with one leveling harsh criticism against former CEO Makito Uchida, saying “the capability of former CEO Makito Uchida as an executive is extremely low.” They also said the board members responsible for appointing him should leave the company, though the board understandably rejected that request.

Others said Nissan executives had shifted blame and responsibilities for the company’s turnaround to frontline workers by cutting their jobs. Espinosa also announced that Nissan would suspend dividend payments, which led to complaints from the crowd.

Nissan’s turnaround won’t be a cakewalk. The automaker has announced thousands of layoffs, and its much-hyped merger with Honda fell apart in dramatic fashion. It also plans to shutter a handful of production facilities globally, but changes in American trade policy have led it to increase output at its factory in Tennessee.

[Images: Nissan]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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2 of 36 comments

Michael on Jun 28, 2025

even if Ghosn was stealing, Nissan would have been better off keeping him and looking the other way.

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John on Jun 29, 2025

Nissan should address its Achilles Heel and design a new transmission! The CV transmission is a no starter for me!

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