Nissan Americas Announces Senior Leadership Changes for Purchasing and Corporate Planning

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan Americas today announced senior leadership appointments in its Purchasing and Corporate Planning organizations. Catherine Perez, currently vice president, Purchasing, Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization (RNPO), is appointed vice president, Corporate Planning & Program Management Office (PMO). Rebecca Vest, currently director, Powertrain Purchasing, RNPO, is named vice president, Purchasing, RNPO, replacing Perez. As part of these changes Eric Noziere is named general manager, Corporate Planning-Canada and Brazil. All changes become effective April 1.

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Perez, 45, will become responsible for Nissan Americas' PMO, as well as management of overseas programs and corporate planning for the company's operations in the U.S., Mexico and 37 other countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. In her new assignment, Perez will report to Scott Becker, senior vice president, Administration & Finance, Nissan Americas. Since joining Nissan in 2008 from Renault, she has held a series of purchasing management positions and earlier in her career she was part of the sales management team at Rhone Poulenc, a chemical group headquartered in France. Perez has a master's degree from the Ecole de Management de Lyon in France as well as a master's degree in business from York University in Toronto.

Vest, 44, will oversee Nissan's purchasing activities for the company's manufacturing operations in the U.S. and Mexico. In her new role, she will report to Bill Krueger, senior vice president, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Supply Chain Management and Total Customer Satisfaction, Nissan Americas. Vest joined Nissan in 2009 from Toyota where, during her 22-year tenure, she held positions of increasing responsibility in purchasing and engineering/cost planning. She has a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Kentucky.

Noziere, 47, currently vice president, Corporate Planning & Program Management Office (PMO), will continue to report to Becker and focus on corporate planning for Nissan's operations in Canada and Brazil in a newly created executive role. He joined Nissan in 2002 after five years with General Motors in the U.S., where he grew his career through finance and business development assignments, and eight years with Alcatel Alstom in France and Brazil. During his Nissan tenure, Noziere has held leadership roles in corporate planning and finance in the U.S. and Canada, and the company's Light Commercial Vehicle & Fleet division in Japan. He has a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Ecole Superieure d'Electricite in France as well as a master's degree in business from Columbia University.

"This set of management appointments enables Nissan to sharpen its focus on growth and development in Canada and Brazil, while preserving stability and business continuity across our entire Americas organization," said Carlos Tavares, chairman, Nissan Americas. "Catherine, Rebecca and Eric will each bring functional expertise as well as critical knowledge of the company to their new positions, demonstrating the bench strength of our Americas leadership team."

In the Americas, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.

SOURCE Nissan Americas