Paris (AFP)

New sequel to the case of Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of Renault swept away by a scandal of malpractices in Japan: the board of the French car manufacturer was preparing Friday to dismiss his runner Thierry Bolloré.

The diamond group announced Thursday a meeting Friday morning of its board "to decide on the governance of the group."

AFP learned Friday around 8:15, from a source close to the company, that the meeting had started well before the group headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt south-west of Paris.

The departure of the general manager is on the agenda: "The challenge is to discuss the future of Thierry Bolloré," said Thursday to AFP a source close to the manufacturer.

Another source familiar with the case was more explicit: "Either he resigns or he is dismissed". The date of departure must be discussed, but the search for a replacement has not yet been launched, said this source.

The current chief financial officer of Renault, Clotilde Delbos, is favorite to ensure the interim, said Friday morning to AFP another source close to Renault.

It would be for the builder a way to definitely turn the page of the era Carlos Ghosn, his former fallen CEO, waiting for his trial in Japan where he was indicted and placed under house arrest for alleged multiple malpractices. Ghosn had made Thierry Bolloré his presumptive successor.

In an interview published by Les Echos in his edition of Friday, Mr. Bollore denounced "a disturbing coup de force". "The only thing that may be reproached to me is to have been appointed Deputy Director-General early 2018, on the proposal of Carlos Ghosn," he said.

For its part, the French state, the largest shareholder of Renault with 15% stake, will not interfere in the choice of governance of the group, said Wednesday the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, saying "trust" the group's president, Jean-Dominique Senard.

- "Go to the end of renewal" -

"What counts today is the stability of the alliance (with Nissan, Editor's note), its ability to conquer new markets" and to ensure the transition to electric vehicles, said Friday on Public Senate Jean- Baptiste Djebbari, Secretary of State for Transport.

"We have every confidence in Jean-Dominique Senard to propose the appropriate strategy," he insisted.

This departure of Thierry Bolloré would intervene while a renewal of the management of Nissan, of which Renault holds 43%, was decided this week to dismiss the main leaders of the era Ghosn - who are 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 on 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 became last year the first global car manufacturer in number of cars sold .

Voices were raised in Japan to demand the head of Mr. Bolloré.

But in the very heart of the French state, we did not hide the desire to turn the page: "The question of going after the renewal of management arises," said this week a source close to the state, under cover of anonymity.

- "Performance not satisfactory" -

At the time of his appointment in January as president, Jean-Dominique Senard had agreed to work with Mr. Bolloré, confirmed simultaneously to the executive direction. He then supported him as rumors announced his possible departure.

Several sources familiar with the case, however, have assured that the decision to separate from Mr. Bolloré, expected Friday, was that of Mr. Senard and him alone.

Another source close on the contrary asserts that the pressure against Mr. Bolloré came from all sides. "It is 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 "the unsatisfactory performance of the company" under the leadership of Thierry Bolloré, while sales and profitability decline this year.

Former executive of the French automotive supplier Faurecia, Mr. Bolloré, 55 years old, had joined Renault in 2012, where he rose all the ranks until taking over the management of the group after the arrest of M Ghosn in November 2018.

© 2019 AFP