Nissan has announced senior leadership changes across its Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region as part of efforts to improve execution, speed and customer focus under its Re:Nissan plan. From 1 January 2026, Thierry Sabbagh will take on responsibility for Nissan India in addition to his current markets. He will serve as Divisional Vice President and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India for Nissan and INFINITI. The move is aimed at ensuring leadership continuity in key markets while strengthening oversight and growth in India, which remains a priority market for the region.
India plays a key role in Nissan’s plans for 2026 as the company works to rebuild momentum. Over the next 14 to 16 months, Nissan India will launch three new models – Gravite, Tekton and a seven-seat C-SUV. The company is also expanding its retail footprint, targeting 250 customer touchpoints nationwide.
Massimiliano Messina, Chairperson of Nissan AMIEO, said the leadership updates are designed to support faster decision-making and stronger market responsiveness. He added that the changes will help the company stay competitive and better aligned with customer expectations as it heads into 2026.
Thierry Sabbagh said he was pleased to take on the expanded responsibility at an important stage for the brand. He highlighted the growth potential in both the Middle East and India and said he looks forward to working with teams and partners across the region to build scale, improve performance and deliver greater value to customers.
Alongside this, Nissan will introduce a revised AMIEO Marketing and Sales structure from 1 January 2026, aimed at bringing decisions closer to customers while combining key functions for faster execution. Jordi Vila has been appointed Divisional Vice President, Nissan Europe and Africa, Aftersales and Brand. His role will now also include responsibility for Marketing and Sales in Europe, along with Aftersales and Brand.
At a regional level, Product Planning and Marketing will be combined into a single organization focused on the full product lifecycle. Clíodhna Lyons will lead this function as Regional Vice President, Product, Services and Marketing Strategy, overseeing forward planning, competitiveness and lifecycle management.
Guillaume Barbet, Regional Vice President Sales Planning and Operations, will also see his role expanded to include all planning activities, pricing, competitiveness and operational efficiency. Together, these changes are intended to help Nissan bring products and services to market more quickly while staying aligned with customer needs across the diverse AMIEO region.
Nissan also confirmed that Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice President and Chief of Commercial Operations for Nissan AMIEO, will be leaving the company. Mr Dorssers joined Nissan in 1992 and held senior roles across Europe, the Americas and Japan before taking on responsibility for Marketing and Sales in AMIEO in 2021.
Following multiple product launches across the region in 2025, Nissan expects another active year ahead. Key highlights include the India launches of Gravite and Tekton in early 2026, the arrival of the next-generation Nissan Navara in Oceania, and the launch of the electric Nissan Juke in Europe.
Nissan is a global automotive manufacturer offering a full range of vehicles under the Nissan and INFINITI brands. The company is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and operates across four regions: Japan-ASEAN, China, the Americas, and AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania).
