Nissan Announces Organizational Changes
16 December 1999
Nissan Announces Organizational Changes, Partial Changes in Executives' Responsibilities; Nissan R&D Strengthens Global Capability
TOKYO, Dec. 16 -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced
management changes to strengthen Nissan's Technical Center's global
capability.
These organizational changes support the key role for R&D in developing
exciting new products outlined in the Nissan Revival Plan announced on
October 18. The changes will strengthen the company's cost-reducing
capabilities, promote more customer-focused management and improve Nissan's
advanced engineering capabilities.
The Nissan Revival Plan also calls for further centralization of the
company's R&D organization on a global level. To reflect this, the names of
Nissan's R&D centers in the U.S. and Europe will be changed effective
January 1, 2000, to be known respectively as Nissan Technical Center North
America, Inc. and Nissan Technical Centre Europe Limited.
Nissan is working to promote centralized global management of its
worldwide R&D organization, centering on the Nissan Technical Center, in order
to utilize fully the company's extensive R&D capabilities as called for under
the Nissan Revival Plan. The specific role, functions and organization of
each R&D center will be determined in the near future on the basis of studies
now under way.
1. Organizational Changes
(1) Under the Nissan Revival Plan, cost-reducing activities are to be
pursued through the "Nissan 3,3,3 program" involving close teamwork by
Nissan's purchasing and engineering groups and suppliers. To carry
out these activities effectively, a Vehicle 3-3-3 Promotion Office and
a Powertrain 3-3-3 Promotion Office have been newly established in the
Technology and Engineering Development Group and in the Powertrain
Operations Group, respectively. These new offices concentrate the
related functions and will act to promote smooth and effective
cooperation with the purchasing organization, including suppliers.
Nissan's R&D centers in the U.S. and Europe will establish similar
3-3-3 teams to support the cost-reducing activity globally.
(2) The previous Vehicle Design and Development Division and the Vehicle
Engineering Division have been reorganized, and Vehicle Development
Department No. 1 and Vehicle Development Department No. 2 have been
newly formed. These changes are designed to strengthen coordination
with the Product and Market Planning Division that was newly
established as part of the organizational changes implemented on
July 1 this year and thereby promote more customer-focused management.
In addition, the position of Chief Vehicle Engineer has been newly
created directly under the senior vice president (SVP) responsible for
the Vehicle Design and Development Division. This is intended to
facilitate stronger teamwork with the Product and Market Planning
Division and clearly define the responsibility for accomplishing
vehicle development goals.
Moreover, the Product Development Department and the Vehicle Quality
Evaluation Department have been consolidated to form the Vehicle
Evaluation/ Test Department in order to centralize the work of
establishing and evaluating development objectives.
(3) A Vehicle Advanced Engineering Department has been newly established
to bring together previously dispersed functions with the aim of
further augmenting Nissan's advanced engineering capabilities. This
department will accurately identify the technologies desired by
customers and centralize the formulation of development strategies for
new vehicles and technologies.
(4) To make the forgoing organizational changes even more effective,
Nissan has partially changed some executives' responsibilities along
with changing some organizational names in the Technology and
Engineering Development Group and in the Powertrain Operations Group.
Changes in Executives' Responsibilities (effective December 16, 1999)
Nobuo Okubo Technology and Engineering Development Group;
Executive Vice President Vehicle 3-3-3 Promotion Office
Resources Management Division;
GM, Resources Management Division
Iwao Nakamura Customer Service Division
Senior Vice President Intellectual Property Dept.
Engineering Information System Dept.
Environmental and Safety Engineering Dept.
Vehicle Evaluation/Test Dept.
Shigeru Takagi Materials Engineering Development Dept.
Senior Vice President Vehicle Production Engineering Division;
GM, Vehicle Production Engineering Division
Eiichi Abe Vehicle Advanced Engineering Dept.
Senior Vice President Nissan Research Center;
GM, Nissan Research Center
Shuji Yamagata Vehicle Design and Development Division;
Senior Vice President GM, Vehicle Design and Development Division
Vehicle Component Development Dept.
Electronics Development Dept. No.1
Electronics Development Dept. No.2
Vehicle Component Test Dept.
*GM: General Manager