Nissan International SA opens its new European headquarters in Rolle, Vaud

Nissan International SA, the Swiss affiliated company of Nissan Motors Co. Ltd, the Japanese car manufacturer, today held the inauguration ceremony of its new European headquarters in Rolle in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

The ceremony was attended by Jean-Claude Mermoud, Conseiller d’Etat for the Canton of Vaud and also Daniel Belotti, the Syndic of Rolle. The opening ceremony was hosted by Eric Nicolas, Managing Director of Nissan International SA.

Nissan International SA is the new European headquarters for its sales, marketing and manufacturing operations in Europe.

In January 2008, Nissan International SA was the first company to move to the A-One Business Center, a new commercial park just north of Rolle town centre, overlooking Lake Léman. A total of 151 employees are based in the new offices, many of whom have relocated from the other European office in Trappes, France.

Among the key functions carried out in Nissan International’s offices in Rolle are general administration, marketing, sales, as well as manufacturing and supply chain management, legal and finance. For the first time, these functions are gathered in the same location for Nissan’s operations in Europe.

One of the main objectives for the move to Rolle was to allow key functions to work more closely together, improving collaboration and efficiency.

Furthermore, Nissan International’s division for its premium brand Infiniti shares the offices in Rolle, where its European operations are coordinated. They are currently in the preparation phase before launching a range of four vehicles onto the European market in October 2008.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Eric Nicolas explained why Nissan chose Rolle as the location for its new European head office: “We were attracted to the hub of business excellence that can be found in the region between Geneva and Lausanne, plus we are in the heart of Europe. There is a huge pool of experienced and talented people in this area. It is important for us to know that we will be able to recruit highly qualified people in the future.”

He added: “Since we arrived, we have all been made to feel very welcome and we are looking forward to an exciting future situated here in Rolle. We hope we will be considered good citizens of Rolle and are enthusiastic about contributing to the local community in Vaud.”

The new offices were designed by RBC Development in Lausanne to meet Switzerland’s “Minergie” criteria that encourage energy efficiency. As a result, the building is covered on all sides by glass, giving a natural light and airy working atmosphere, which also reduces the reliance on electricity to power lights. Additionally, the building is extremely thermally efficient, retaining heat in the winter and reducing the demands on the air-conditioning systems in warm weather.