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Renault CEO Bollore fired

Leader reportedly deposed as the company seeks a clean break from the Carlos Ghosn era, and wants to mend fences with Nissan.


After days of speculation, Renault has fired CEO Thierry Bollore, with chief financial officer (CFO) Clotilde Delbos stepping in as interim boss.

Overnight the French automaker confirmed it had "decided to end the mandate" of Bollore as CEO and president of the firm "with immediate effect".

During the last week, reports in the business and automotive press had indicated the Renault board was looking for a clean and decisive break from the Carlos Ghosn era.

Speaking immediately after Ghosn's arrest in September 2018, Bollore told French media the arrest amounted to "a coup" and a "shocking power grab".

Ghosn was Nissan's chairman, and the CEO of Renault and the overarching alliance at the time of his arrest, with Bollore effectively his second-in-command as Renault's chief operating officer (COO).

According to Automotive News, Bollore's ouster was engineered by Renault's chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, who is keen on mending Renault's relationship with alliance partner Nissan.

In a press conference, Senard stated the automaker was looking for a fresh start and required new governance.

Bollore's sudden departure comes just days after Nissan appointed Makoto Uchida as its next CEO. In addition to heading Nissan's successful China operation, Uchida spent four years working for Renault.

Uchida effectively replaces Hiroto Saikawa, Ghosn's handpicked successor for the role of Nissan CEO.

Delbos is only the second woman to head up a major automaker after GM's Mary Barra, even if she is only doing so until a permanent successor can be found.

She joined Renault in 2012 as group controller or head accountant, and became the company's CFO in 2016. Prior to joining the automaker all of her roles were centred around finance.

Given her background, Renault says she will assisted by Olivier Murguet, head of global sales, and Jose-Vincente de los Mozos, the company's manufacturing and supply chain chief.

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