Paris (AFP)

The French car manufacturer Renault is preparing to replace Friday its managing director Thierry Bolloré to definitively close the era Carlos Ghosn, the former boss carried by a scandal of malpractices in Japan that had made his runner-up.

The board will meet Friday morning "to decide on the governance of the group," said Renault in a pithy statement Thursday afternoon. "A communication will be made at the end of this meeting."

From concordant sources, it is the departure of the general director who announces himself, last rebound of the sprawling Ghosn affair. "The challenge is to discuss the future of Thierry Bolloré," told AFP a source close to the company.

Another source familiar with the case was more explicit: "either he resigns or he is dismissed", she explained, adding that the meeting would start at 08:00. The date of departure has yet to be discussed; the search for a replacement has not yet been launched and an appointment should be considered to ensure the interim, said this source.

This departure comes as a renewal of the management of the Japanese Nissan partner, of which Renault holds 43%, was decided this week to dismiss the main leaders of the era Ghosn who were also those who denounced to the Japanese justice the alleged errors of the Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian leader.

A new chief executive, Makoto Uchida, 53, was named Tuesday, replacing Hiroto Saikawa.

Since the outbreak of the Ghosn affair, the relations between the French and Japanese management were execrable, threatening the survival of the alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi and had become last year the first global car manufacturer in number of cars sold .

Ways were rising in Japan to demand the head of M. Bolloré.

- Designated Dauphin of the fallen patron -

As early as Tuesday evening, Le Figaro announced that Renault President Jean-Dominique Senard, who has been hammering for months at his priority to revive the alliance, was going to propose to his board of directors to find a successor to the manager appointed by Carlos Ghosn to the executive direction of the group in February 2018.

The pressure was very strong against this leader, who was suffering from his status as designated dolphin of the former fallen CEO, who is awaiting trial in Japan where he has been indicted and placed under house arrest for allegedly multiple malpractices.

In the French state, the largest shareholder of the manufacturer with 15% of the capital, it was not hidden since the outbreak of the scandal the desire to turn the page definitively by renewing the senior leaders associated with this period.

"The question of going after the renewal of management arises," said this week a source close to the state, on condition of anonymity. "Since the beginning, we had set two priorities, strengthening the alliance" with the Japanese manufacturer Nissan "and also turn the page of Carlos Ghosn," said another source to AFP.

But these same sources ensure that the decision to separate from Mr. Bolloré, probably announced Friday, is that of Mr. Senard and him alone.

When he was appointed last January, Senard, who has the confidence of the Elysee Palace, had agreed to work with Bolloré, who was finally confirmed to the executive management despite his reluctance. He then supported him as rumors announced his possible departure.

Another source close to the file claims, on the contrary, that the pressure against Mr. Bolloré came from all sides. "It's the state that is accelerating very hard to stop it quickly," she says. "Not only the state, but also the employees, the managers of Renault, the Japanese partners" demanded this departure.

A relative of the French group also put forward with AFP "unsatisfactory performance of the company" under the leadership of Thierry Bolloré, while sales and profitability are down this year.

This former executive of the 55-year-old French automotive supplier Faurecia, joined Renault in 2012, where he rose all the ranks until taking over the management of the group after the arrest of Mr Ghosn. November 2018. He was then criticized, especially on the Japanese side, for having remained faithful to his mentor for too long.

© 2019 AFP