Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa was forced to put together a plan to save the Japanese carmaker in just six weeks: 'I knew what had to be done' | Fortune

Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa said he had to build a turnaround plan within six weeks after taking the top role, following one of the automaker’s deepest crises in its 92-year history. Speaking to Fortune in mid-April, after wrapping up the Nissan Vision Event at headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, Espinosa described consolidating issues into a small set of priorities and moving quickly. He assumed leadership as Nissan navigated losses, declining customer appeal, and market-share erosion after merger talks with Honda broke down; the deal collapsed when Honda, Japan’s No. 2 automaker, wanted Nissan as a subsidiary rather than an equal partner. The article notes intensifying pressure in China from faster-catching up rivals, and U.S. complications tied to tariffs on Japanese products. It also points to shareholder anger amid major bets that failed, and low revenue growth versus Toyota across fiscal years 2017–2025. It frames Espinosa’s approach as “painful” decisions plus speed and empathy.