Also appointed as the head of Global Datsun business unit, Cartier takes over both the roles effective immediately, the company said on 1 April. He replaces Peyman Kargar, who is moving to a corporate role at Nissan after serving as the chairman for Africa, Middle East and India markets and as the global head for Datsun brand for three years.

“In this role, he will lead the regional management committee and be responsible for business strategy and performance with all functional heads for the Nissan brand as well as assume the role of head of Datsun globally,” Nissan said in an official note.

Cartier, 51, returns to Nissan from its alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, where he served as the executive officer and senior vice president for three years. He was based in Tokyo in his previous role.

Cartier, who has held several senior positions at Nissan, had first joined the owner of Infiniti and Datsun brands in 1995.

Commenting on Cartier’s new appointment, Nissan’s global chief operating officer, Ashwini Gupta said, “The Africa, Middle East and India region continues to be significant for Nissan in terms of long-term growth and potential market share. Cartier brings in a wealth of senior experience from this part of the world, having over 25 years at Nissan, and our alliance partner Mitsubishi, which will be vital in continuing to drive our business forward by meeting the needs of an expanding and evolving customer base.”

“We have a strong positioning in terms of products, services and industrial footprint, as well as an opportunity to expand our Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) platform across the region,” Cartier said.