Renault boss Carlos Ghosn has resigned from his post with the French automaker. This is what France's Economics and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Renault received the letter of resignation from Ghosn on Wednesday evening, said Le Maire. Circles of the automaker confirmed in Paris the statement of the Minister. A spokesman for the group did not want to confirm that at first. The car manager has been detained in Japan for a good two months.
Board of Directors should decide on succession
The Board of Directors of Renault intends to meet this morning to discuss the leadership of the Group. According to Le Maire, the panel in Boulogne-Billancourt near Paris will then make the "necessary decisions".
In Paris, Ghosn's duties as CEO are expected to be shared by his current deputy Thierry Bolloré and Michelin CEO Jean-Dominique Senard. Renault has not officially commented on this scenario.
Le Maire said in an interview that Senard would be "an outstanding president of Renault". The state owns 15 percent of Renault's shares and is therefore a major player in the manufacturer.
The 64-year-old Ghosn, who had once saved Nissan from bankruptcy and forged a powerful car alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi, was arrested in Tokyo in November for violating Japanese stock market regulations and later charged. In addition, he is said to have transferred private investment losses to Nissan, according to prosecutors.
The Renault partners Nissan and Mitsubishi then dismissed Ghosn as Chairman of the Board. It could take months to complete a process. In court, the manager had asserted his innocence.