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| Who Is Carlos Ghosn and Why Is He in Trouble? | Who Is Carlos Ghosn and Why Is He in Trouble? |
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| Carlos Ghosn, the man who created what was effectively the world’s largest carmaker, was arrested in Japan on Nov. 19. The arrest is a remarkable fall from grace for a man regarded as one of the most powerful executives in the auto industry. | |
| Mr. Ghosn (pronounced “Goan”) has been credited with reviving Japan’s Nissan car company and the French automaker Renault, in an alliance that later expanded to include Mitsubishi Motors of Japan. Last year, the three companies sold 10.6 million cars. | Mr. Ghosn (pronounced “Goan”) has been credited with reviving Japan’s Nissan car company and the French automaker Renault, in an alliance that later expanded to include Mitsubishi Motors of Japan. Last year, the three companies sold 10.6 million cars. |
| The arrest has been a jolt to an industry facing challenges from a global trade war, a shift toward electric cars as well as competition from nontraditional carmakers. | The arrest has been a jolt to an industry facing challenges from a global trade war, a shift toward electric cars as well as competition from nontraditional carmakers. |
| An internal inquiry at Nissan found that Mr. Ghosn underreported his compensation to the Japanese government. Nissan is cooperating with prosecutors, who said Mr. Ghosn declared only half of about $88 million that he was paid between 2011 and 2015. | An internal inquiry at Nissan found that Mr. Ghosn underreported his compensation to the Japanese government. Nissan is cooperating with prosecutors, who said Mr. Ghosn declared only half of about $88 million that he was paid between 2011 and 2015. |
| Nissan said its investigation was prompted by a whistle-blower who said that Mr. Ghosn had been misrepresenting his salary and using company assets for personal purposes. | Nissan said its investigation was prompted by a whistle-blower who said that Mr. Ghosn had been misrepresenting his salary and using company assets for personal purposes. |
| Greg Kelly, Nissan’s first American director and its former head of human resources, was also arrested. The two men are suspected of masterminding a long-running scheme to mislead financial authorities. Neither man has yet been charged. | Greg Kelly, Nissan’s first American director and its former head of human resources, was also arrested. The two men are suspected of masterminding a long-running scheme to mislead financial authorities. Neither man has yet been charged. |
| Prosecutors in Japan can hold a suspect for 72 hours for initial questioning. On Nov. 21, prosecutors asked for a 10-day extension as they continue their investigation. | |
| The prosecutor’s office could request additional extensions from the court, to hold Mr. Ghosn for up to a total of 23 days, before it decides whether to seek an indictment. | The prosecutor’s office could request additional extensions from the court, to hold Mr. Ghosn for up to a total of 23 days, before it decides whether to seek an indictment. |
| If Mr. Ghosn is found to have violated Japan’s financial laws, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, fined 10 million yen or both. If Nissan is found to have conspired with him, it could face a fine of up to ¥700 million. | If Mr. Ghosn is found to have violated Japan’s financial laws, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, fined 10 million yen or both. If Nissan is found to have conspired with him, it could face a fine of up to ¥700 million. |
| The Japanese companies have been quick to consider severing ties. Nissan’s board voted on Nov. 22 to strip Mr. Ghosn of his position as chairman, and Mitsubishi did the same on Nov. 26. | |
| Renault has been more cautious. It is keeping Mr. Ghosn as chairman and chief executive, but the board has tapped Thierry Bolloré, the chief operating officer, to assume Mr. Ghosn’s day-to-day responsibilities. Philippe Lagayette, the board’s lead independent director, will take over as chairman temporarily. | Renault has been more cautious. It is keeping Mr. Ghosn as chairman and chief executive, but the board has tapped Thierry Bolloré, the chief operating officer, to assume Mr. Ghosn’s day-to-day responsibilities. Philippe Lagayette, the board’s lead independent director, will take over as chairman temporarily. |
| The French government is Renault’s biggest shareholder. The finance and economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, said France had no evidence of the accusations that Mr. Ghosn faces in Japan. But labor unions are already concerned about the affect the arrest could have on the more than 47,000 workers at Renault. | The French government is Renault’s biggest shareholder. The finance and economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, said France had no evidence of the accusations that Mr. Ghosn faces in Japan. But labor unions are already concerned about the affect the arrest could have on the more than 47,000 workers at Renault. |
| Yes. But chief executives do — and Mr. Ghosn had a reputation for rewarding good performance and expecting to be rewarded for his job performance. | Yes. But chief executives do — and Mr. Ghosn had a reputation for rewarding good performance and expecting to be rewarded for his job performance. |
| After he took over as chief operating officer at Nissan in 1999, Mr. Ghosn overhauled how senior employees were paid. Instead of the Japanese tradition of rewarding seniority, Mr. Ghosn enforced a performance-based system and gave bonuses to midlevel managers. | After he took over as chief operating officer at Nissan in 1999, Mr. Ghosn overhauled how senior employees were paid. Instead of the Japanese tradition of rewarding seniority, Mr. Ghosn enforced a performance-based system and gave bonuses to midlevel managers. |
| According to the Tokyo prosecutor’s office, he is being investigated for hiding tens of millions of dollars’ worth of compensation from 2011 to 2015. Prosecutors said he underreported his pay package by more than ¥5 billion ($44.5 million) — understating his true earnings by half — in reports to a bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Finance. | According to the Tokyo prosecutor’s office, he is being investigated for hiding tens of millions of dollars’ worth of compensation from 2011 to 2015. Prosecutors said he underreported his pay package by more than ¥5 billion ($44.5 million) — understating his true earnings by half — in reports to a bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Finance. |
| Mr. Ghosn has been embroiled in several fights over his executive pay, attracting the ire of investors and politicians. In 2016, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who was at the time the finance minister, pressured Renault into reducing Mr. Ghosn’s compensation. | Mr. Ghosn has been embroiled in several fights over his executive pay, attracting the ire of investors and politicians. In 2016, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who was at the time the finance minister, pressured Renault into reducing Mr. Ghosn’s compensation. |
| His salary came under scrutiny again the next year, and in 2018 he agreed to a 30 percent pay cut in return for another four-year term as chief executive. | His salary came under scrutiny again the next year, and in 2018 he agreed to a 30 percent pay cut in return for another four-year term as chief executive. |
| His own pay far outstripped those of his counterparts in Japan — he earned four times the pay of Toyota’s chairman in 2017 — and he was unrepentant. | His own pay far outstripped those of his counterparts in Japan — he earned four times the pay of Toyota’s chairman in 2017 — and he was unrepentant. |
| Mr. Ghosn joined Renault in 1996 as executive vice president overseeing manufacturing, purchasing, research and development, after 18 years at Michelin, the tire maker. Renault was reeling from a failed merger with Volvo and Mr. Ghosn slashed costs to improve margins, earning him the nickname “Le Cost Killer.” “It’s sexy,” he said of the moniker this year. “There’s blood in it, there’s meanness.” | Mr. Ghosn joined Renault in 1996 as executive vice president overseeing manufacturing, purchasing, research and development, after 18 years at Michelin, the tire maker. Renault was reeling from a failed merger with Volvo and Mr. Ghosn slashed costs to improve margins, earning him the nickname “Le Cost Killer.” “It’s sexy,” he said of the moniker this year. “There’s blood in it, there’s meanness.” |
| In 1999, Renault acquired a large stake in Nissan, and Mr. Ghosn was sent to Japan to become chief operating officer. Months later, he closed five domestic factories and eliminated about 21,000 jobs, some 14 percent of the work force. | In 1999, Renault acquired a large stake in Nissan, and Mr. Ghosn was sent to Japan to become chief operating officer. Months later, he closed five domestic factories and eliminated about 21,000 jobs, some 14 percent of the work force. |
| Mr. Ghosn was pilloried in the press, but the aggressive cost-cutting worked and stabilized Nissan finances. | Mr. Ghosn was pilloried in the press, but the aggressive cost-cutting worked and stabilized Nissan finances. |
| He is seen as an innovator for how he later engineered an arrangement that allowed the two automakers to operate like a single carmaker, sharing the cost of developing new models and buying components together. | He is seen as an innovator for how he later engineered an arrangement that allowed the two automakers to operate like a single carmaker, sharing the cost of developing new models and buying components together. |
| He had a lot of titles. He was appointed chief executive at Nissan in 2001 and Renault in 2005. In 2016, Nissan acquired a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, bailing the company out after it was caught falsifying fuel economy estimates. Mr. Ghosn drew Mitsubishi into the alliance — and drew in a third salary. | He had a lot of titles. He was appointed chief executive at Nissan in 2001 and Renault in 2005. In 2016, Nissan acquired a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, bailing the company out after it was caught falsifying fuel economy estimates. Mr. Ghosn drew Mitsubishi into the alliance — and drew in a third salary. |
| He stepped down as Nissan’s chief executive last year, but remained chairman and continued to lead the alliance. | He stepped down as Nissan’s chief executive last year, but remained chairman and continued to lead the alliance. |
| Mr. Ghosn had been planning a merger of Nissan and Renault companies to cement the partnership, but faced opposition on both sides, according to reports from Bloomberg News and The Financial Times. | Mr. Ghosn had been planning a merger of Nissan and Renault companies to cement the partnership, but faced opposition on both sides, according to reports from Bloomberg News and The Financial Times. |
| He was lionized in business circles, seen as the epitome of a high-flying, multitasking manager as he zipped between Paris and Tokyo. | He was lionized in business circles, seen as the epitome of a high-flying, multitasking manager as he zipped between Paris and Tokyo. |
| He had homes in Paris, Amsterdam, Beirut and Rio de Janeiro; was a regular at World Economic Forum panels in Davos, Switzerland; and celebrated his 2016 marriage in a high-profile fashion at Versailles with actors dressed in 18th-century costume. His life was even chronicled in manga comic books. | He had homes in Paris, Amsterdam, Beirut and Rio de Janeiro; was a regular at World Economic Forum panels in Davos, Switzerland; and celebrated his 2016 marriage in a high-profile fashion at Versailles with actors dressed in 18th-century costume. His life was even chronicled in manga comic books. |
| But in Japan, he was a rarity: a foreign leader at a domestic company, who instituted equally rare layoffs and was paid handsomely compared with other Japanese leaders, if not by international standards. | But in Japan, he was a rarity: a foreign leader at a domestic company, who instituted equally rare layoffs and was paid handsomely compared with other Japanese leaders, if not by international standards. |
| The allegations against Mr. Ghosn could trample his legacy. An economist from Japan Macro Advisors in Tokyo described his arrest this way: “Losing Mr. Ghosn from the Japanese corporate managerial scene is a loss for Japan. We need more non-Japanese corporate bosses who are willing to take risks, propose a vision and exert top-down leadership.” | The allegations against Mr. Ghosn could trample his legacy. An economist from Japan Macro Advisors in Tokyo described his arrest this way: “Losing Mr. Ghosn from the Japanese corporate managerial scene is a loss for Japan. We need more non-Japanese corporate bosses who are willing to take risks, propose a vision and exert top-down leadership.” |