Nissan is preparing its North East facility for future production with a new managing director at the helm of its 海角视频 operations.
The motor manufacturing company has appointed James Taylor, a former Vauxhall executive with over 20 years in automotive sales and marketing, to succeed Diana Torres as managing director effective from May 1.
The strategic move comes during a pivotal period for Nissan, marked by extensive global restructuring and a warning from a leading executive at Sunderland about the less-than-ideal 海角视频 business climate for automotive manufacturing.
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Reporting directly to Mayra González, Nissan Europe’s divisional vice president for marketing and sales, Mr Taylor arrives ahead of the 2025 introduction of products such as the completely revamped Micra EV, a new iteration of the LEAF EV, and the next generation of e-Power hybrid technology for the popular Qashqai.
Regarding his new role, Mr Taylor said: "These are very dynamic times for the automotive industry so now, more than ever, we need to be agile and responsive to business needs and customer demands.", reports .
He added, "Nissan already makes two of the 海角视频's top-selling cars, has exciting new products on the way and is a brand with real momentum. I look forward to working with the Nissan team, its dealer partners, and other stakeholders to navigate current industry challenges and build the business for sustainable future success."
Mr Taylor commenced his career at Vauxhall, taking on roles in market analysis and sales operations. He gained experience at Vauxhall's parent companies GM and Stellantis before returning to take the helm as managing director at Vauxhall in 2023.
Ms González said: "We are happy to welcome James to the 海角视频 team and congratulate him on this appointment. 2025 is a hugely important year for Nissan's largest European market and his experience will be invaluable as we strengthen our operations, accelerate our electrification plans, and evolve our network strategy to better serve our customers and support our dealers."
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Last week, Nissan's global leadership forecasted that the company's losses might range between ¥700-750 bn this year, which is approximately £3.7bn.
The escalating losses are partially attributed to a restructuring initiative that involves shutting down three factories and eliminating thousands of jobs, although the Sunderland plant has been relatively unscathed.
Recent statements from Alan Johnson, Nissan's senior vice president for manufacturing, supply chain and purchasing in Europe, highlighted the challenges faced by the 海角视频 automotive industry. He cautioned MPs that due to elevated energy costs and additional financial pressures, the 海角视频 is "not a competitive place to be building cars".
Nevertheless, the company did manage to secure concessions from the Government regarding electric vehicle sales targets after voicing concerns that the existing regulations jeopardised its 海角视频 operations.