Top Renault-Nissan Alliance Exec Deboeuf Quits

Arnauld Deboeuf, who ran the Office of the CEO for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, has quit, telling his staff that Renault CEO Thierry Bollore ordered him to leave.

The Financial Times reports that Deboeuf (pictured) also told staff he will take a job with Renault rival PSA Group after Bollore told him he was barred from moving to Nissan.

Deboeuf is a loyalist to Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi and the entity that manages their alliance. Ghosn is awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct at Nissan.

The partnership has been under severe strain since Ghosn’s arrest. FT says senior executives at Nissan consider Bollore a divisive force in the alliance. Sources tell the newspaper that Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa is barely on speaking terms with Bollore.

Deboeuf’s departure is the latest among several top managers at Nissan this year. Others include the company’s chief performance office (Jose Munoz in January), global sales chief (Daniele Schillaci in April), Infiniti CEO (Christian Meunier in May), U.S. sales chief (Billy Hayes, in August) and Infiniti brand design leader (Karim Habab in August).