After losing a board member, Nissan's partner and largest shareholder Renault withdrew its support. In response, the Japanese automaker sent a clear signal: all is well.

During an interview in New York, Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa downplayed the significance of Renault’s refusal last week to reappoint influential external director Motoo Nagai. Although this move resulted in Motoo Nagai losing his board seat, which he had held since 2019, Espinosa stated that this does not signal renewed tensions between Nissan and Renault. “There was much speculation when we changed the cross-shareholding structure—people saying, ‘they’re going to split up, they despise each other,’” Espinosa said. “But the reality is, we’re cooperating more closely now than ever before.”