After Ghosn’s ouster, Renault names Bollore CEO, Senard chairman

Arrested car boss Carlos Ghosn resigned on Thursday as chief executive and chairman of Renault, ending his leadership roles in the auto industry and signalling the start of new era for the French manufacturer.

French carmaker Renault said Thursday that it has named Thierry Bollore as its new chief executive and Jean-Dominique Senard as board chairman, replacing former boss Carlos Ghosn following his arrest in Japan for alleged financial misconduct.

Carlos Ghosn’s career came screeching to a halt when Tokyo police arrested him on suspicion of under-reporting millions of dollars in income over eight years. (REUTERS)

Senard will represent Renault in its powerful alliance with Japanese carmakers Nissan and Mitsubishi, the French company added in a statement.

Carlos Ghosn resigned on Thursday as chief executive and chairman of Renault, ending his leadership roles in the auto industry and signalling the start of new era for the French manufacturer.

Ghosn, the most powerful man in car-making until his sensational arrest last November in Japan on financial misconduct charges, had already been sacked as chairman of Japanese auto groups Nissan and Mitsubishi.

But the 64-year-old had held on to the top job at Renault, which has been run on an interim basis by one of his deputies while he languishes in a Japanese jail.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed to AFP that Ghosn tendered his resignation late Wednesday -- ahead of a Renault board meeting in Paris that led to the announcement of his successors.

A senior director from the firm “received last night the letter of resignation from Carlos Ghosn,” Le Maire said at the Davos gathering in Switzerland.

As head of Renault since 2005, Ghosn was the keystone of its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, forging an industry powerhouse which together sold more cars than any of its rivals last year.

But his career came screeching to a halt when Tokyo police arrested him on suspicion of under-reporting millions of dollars in income over eight years.

Ghosn has denied the charges, but with his release from jail unlikely anytime soon, Renault’s board prepared to name new directors.