June 26, 2026 – Carlos Ghosn, the former chief executive of Nissan Motor, has stepped forward with stark assessments of the automaker’s ongoing crisis, revealing that a faction of current Nissan shareholders is pushing for his return to leadership amid widespread discontent over the firm’s prolonged underperformance.
According to Ghosn, the growing calls from shareholders for his comeback stem from years of mounting frustration over Nissan’s stagnant business results and ineffective turnaround strategies. He issued a grave warning that the Japanese carmaker risks becoming a subsidiary of larger Chinese automotive enterprises unless it undergoes urgent and fundamental operational and strategic overhauls.
Drawing a striking parallel with Nissan’s historic crisis in 1999, when Renault stepped in to rescue the struggling brand, Ghosn argued that the company’s current predicament is far more dire with fewer viable recovery prospects. In a bold assertion, the ex-CEO stated that he is the only industry figure equipped with the experience and authority to pull Nissan out of its downward spiral.
The shareholder push for Ghosn’s return surfaced publicly during Nissan’s annual general meeting held on June 23. At the event, at least one investor formally proposed reinstating Ghosn to a leadership role. Nevertheless, the proposal was overwhelmingly rejected by participating shareholders, who voted strongly in favor of retaining the existing board of directors and management team.
Ghosn emphasized that he can clearly sense the anger and disappointment permeating Nissan’s investor base. He pointed out that three consecutive CEOs – Hiroto Saikawa, Makoto Uchida, and Ivan Espinosa – have all failed to revitalize the company in the years following his departure, leaving shareholders exhausted by the firm’s persistent decline.
Hard data underscores Nissan’s sharp deterioration over the past years. Since Ghosn’s exit, the company’s stock price has plummeted by 80%. Its annual vehicle sales have also suffered a severe drop, falling from more than 5 million units to roughly 3 million units. The continuous financial downturn has forced Nissan to implement aggressive cost-cutting measures, including repeated factory closures and large-scale workforce layoffs.
Critiquing Nissan’s current management style and strategic direction, Ghosn described the company as trapped in a state of slow decision-making and overly defensive operations. Instead of proactively competing in the increasingly fierce global automotive market, the carmaker has chosen a passive retreat strategy, scaling back its presence across multiple key markets worldwide and surrendering its competitive edge.
