Carlos Ghosn

{{Short description|Fugitive, businessman, and former automotive executive (born 1954)}}

{{lead too short|date=August 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Carlos Ghosn

| image = Carlos Ghosn - Mondial de l'Automobile de Paris 2014 - 004 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Ghosn in 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1954|3|9}}

| birth_place = Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil

| death_date =

| death_place =

| citizenship = {{Hlist|Lebanon |France|Brazil}}

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

}}

| spouse = {{plainlist|

  • {{marriage|Rita Kordahi|1984|2012|end=div.}}
  • {{marriage|Carole Nahas|2016}}

}}

| children = 4, including Caroline

}}

Carlos Ghosn ({{IPAc-en|ɡ|oʊ|n}};{{cite journal |last1=Millikin |first1=John P. |last2=Fu |first2=Dean |title=The Global Leadership of Carlos Ghosn at Nissan|journal=Thunderbird International Business Review |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=121–137 |year=2005 |doi=10.1002/tie.20043|url=https://www.abdn.ac.uk/business/images/layout/Carlos_Ghosn_-_PDF_copy.pdf}} {{IPA|fr|kaʁlɔs ɡon|lang}}; {{langx|ar|كارلوس غصن}}; {{IPA|apc-LB|'kaːrlos 'ɣosˤn}}, born 9 March 1954) is a Lebanese-French-Brazilian businessman and former automotive executive. He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Michelin North America, chairman and CEO of Renault, chairman of AvtoVAZ, chairman and CEO of Nissan, and chairman of Mitsubishi Motors.{{cite book |last=Maynard |first=Micheline |title=The End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DTz1TYq8hYcC&pg=PT117 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |year=2003 |pages=117– |isbn=978-0-385-51152-0}}CNN. [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/12/revealed.ghosn.biog/ "The Gaijin with two jobs"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007110551/http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/12/revealed.ghosn.biog/ |date=7 October 2018 }}. CNN. 7 December 2006.CNN. [https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/23/business/carlos-ghosn-lebanon-icon/index.html "Lebanon put Carlos Ghosn on its postage stamps. His downfall has stunned Beirut"]. CNN. 23 November 2018.

In 2018, he was arrested in Japan on suspicion of financial misconduct at Nissan, having been accused of understating his annual salary and misusing company funds. In 2019, while under house arrest awaiting trial, he escaped from Japan by concealing himself inside a large box which was shipped as freight on a private jet.{{Cite news |last=Yuri |first=Kageyama |date=25 April 2019 |title=Nissan ex-chair Ghosn released from Japanese detention |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/japan-ap-top-news-carlos-ghosn-tokyo-international-news-bcd27be6b2714d298a09ebd0926ce870 |access-date=21 October 2022}}

Early life and education

Ghosn's grandfather was Bichara Ghosn, a Maronite Catholic who emigrated from Ajaltoun,{{cite web|url=https://www.lahamag.com/article/15447-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B3_%D8%BA%D8%B5%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A|script-title=ar:كارلوس غصن اللبناني|website=lahamag.com|language=ar|date=9 December 2009|access-date=11 January 2020}} French Mandate Lebanon to Brazil at the age of 13, eventually settling in remote Guaporé, Rondônia, near the border between Brazil and Bolivia.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA1 Shift]. pp. 1–2. Bichara Ghosn was an entrepreneur and eventually headed several companies, in businesses including the rubber trade, the sale and purchase of agricultural products, and aviation.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA3 Shift]. p. 3. His son Jorge Ghosn married Rose Jazzar, a Nigerian-born Lebanese womanGhosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA4 Shift]. p. 4. whose family came from Miziara in Lebanon then went to Brazil, where they settled in Porto Velho, the state capital of Rondônia, and had four children.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA5 Shift]. p. 5.

Carlos' father, Jorge Ghosn (died 2006) was a diamond trader and worked in the airline industry. Jorge was convicted of murdering a priest in Sawfar, Lebanon in 1960.{{cite web|url=https://www.istanbulpost.com.tr/carlos-ghosns-father-killed-a-pastor-for-arab-singer-sabah/|title=Carlos Ghosn's Father Killed a Pastor for Arab Singer Sabah|website=istanbulpost.com|date=10 January 2020|access-date=11 January 2020|archive-date=11 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111051151/https://www.istanbulpost.com.tr/carlos-ghosns-father-killed-a-pastor-for-arab-singer-sabah/|url-status=dead}} Jorge fled to Brazil in 1975 at the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War.{{cite web|url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/economie/20200107.OBS23163/info-obs-la-tragedie-familiale-que-carlos-ghosn-a-toujours-occultee.html|title=Info Obs. La tragédie familiale que Carlos Ghosn a toujours occultée|website=L'Obs|language=fr|date=7 January 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/carlos-ghosns-father-jailed-for-killing-priest-in-lebanon-sl5p3zvj0|title=Carlos Ghosn's father 'jailed for killing priest in Lebanon'|website=The Times|date=10 January 2020|last1=Paris|first1=Adam Sage}}

Carlos Ghosn was born on 9 March 1954, in Porto Velho.[http://www.ie.edu/microsites/comunicacion/Sem%2013%20junio%202011/Carlos%20Ghosn%20Bio%20Alliance%20UK%20March%202011.pdf Renault Nissan. Carlos Ghosn: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Renault–Nissan Alliance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924062604/http://www.ie.edu/microsites/comunicacion/Sem%2013%20junio%202011/Carlos%20Ghosn%20Bio%20Alliance%20UK%20March%202011.pdf |date=24 September 2014 }}. IE University. IE.edu. 3 March 2011.Ghosn, Carlos. [http://www.randomhouse.com/acmart/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385512916&view=printexcerpt Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival]. Crown Publishing Group, 2006. Chapter 1 (excerpt). When he was about two years old he became sick after drinking unsanitary water, and his mother moved with him to Rio de Janeiro. He did not fully recover there, and in 1960, when Ghosn was six years old, he and his mother and sister moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where his grandmother and two other sisters lived.

Ghosn completed his secondary school studies in Lebanon, at the Jesuit school Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour. He then completed his classes préparatoires in Paris, at the Collège Stanislas and the Lycée Saint-Louis.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA9 Shift]. p. 9. He graduated as an engineer from the École Polytechnique in 1974 and the École des Mines de Paris in 1978.[https://www.linkedin.com/pub/carlos-ghosn/90/160/5a Carlos Ghosn]. LinkedIn.[http://www.nissanusa.com/about/corporate-info#biography Carlos Ghosn: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd]. NissanUSA.com. Retrieved 22 November 2014.

Career

=Michelin=

File:Carlos Ghosn Kyushu by Bertel Schmitt.jpg

After graduation in 1978, Ghosn spent 18 years at Michelin, Europe's largest tyre maker, initially training and working in several plants in France and Germany.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA18 Shift]. pp. 18–23. In 1981, he became plant manager in Le Puy-en-Velay, France.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA24 Shift]. p. 24. In 1984 he was named head of research and development for the company's industrial tyre division.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA27 Shift]. p. 27.

In 1985, when Ghosn was 30 years old, he was appointed chief operating officer (COO) of Michelin's South American operations.Kase, Kimio; Sáez-Martinez, Francisco J.; Riquelme, Hernán. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Uwjr3zGswBoC&pg=PA125 Transformational CEOs: Leadership and Management Success in Japan]. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2005. p. 125. He returned to Rio de Janeiro, reporting directly to François Michelin, who tasked Ghosn with turning around the operation, which was unprofitable and struggling under Brazil's hyperinflation.{{cite news|last=Inoue |first=Kae |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=akZ.9rxT3hQE |title=Carlos Ghosn, After Fixing Nissan, Faces Renault's Rising Costs |publisher=Bloomberg |date=28 March 2005 |access-date=27 September 2011}} Ghosn formed cross-functional management teams to determine best practices among the French, Brazilian, and other nationalities working in the South American division.Muller, Joann. [https://www.forbes.com/global/2006/0522/020.html "The Impatient Mr. Ghosn"]. Forbes. 12 May 2006. The multicultural experience in Brazil formed the basis of his cross-cultural management style and emphasis on diversity as a core business asset.[http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webbultn/v9n1/article21.htm "Carlos Ghosn Promotes Diversity in Business"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203110448/http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webbultn/v9n1/article21.htm |date=3 December 2016 }}. AUBulletin Today. American University of Beirut. October 2007, Vol. 9 No. 1. "You learn from diversity ... but you're comforted by commonality", Ghosn has said.{{YouTube|h-cMpytGmtk|Carlos Ghosn on Diversity}}. Interview clip with TBWA creative director Rob Schwartz. 2009. The division returned to profitability in two years.{{cite web|url=http://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-Fl-Ka/Ghosn-Carlos.html |title=Carlos Ghosn Biography |publisher=Encyclopedia of World Biography |access-date=27 September 2011}}Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA34 Shift]. p. 34.

After turning around Michelin's South American operations, Ghosn was appointed president and COO of Michelin North America in 1989, and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, with his family.[http://greenvilleroots.com/carlos-ghosn/ "Carlos Ghosn headed Michelin North America before turning around Nissan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010112717/http://greenvilleroots.com/carlos-ghosn/ |date=10 October 2015 }}. GreenvilleRoots.com. He was promoted to CEO of Michelin North America in 1990. He presided over the restructuring of the company after its acquisition of the Uniroyal Goodrich Tyre Company.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA38 Shift]. pp. 38–43.

=Post-privatisation Renault=

In 1996, Ghosn became executive vice president in charge of purchasing, advanced research, engineering and development, powertrain operations, and manufacturing at Renault; and he was also in charge of Renault's South American division, located in the Mercosur.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA59 Shift]. p. 59. Ghosn's radical restructuring of Renault successfully contributed to profitability of the company over 1997.Litterick, David. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2942490/Le-Cost-Killer-faces-toughest-test.html "'Le Cost Killer' faces toughest test"]. The Telegraph. 4 July 2006.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PR18 Shift]. p. xvii. His reputation of successful performance under François Michelin was repeated under the first CEO of the freshly privatized Renault.

=Nissan and the Renault–Nissan Alliance=

File:Carlos Ghosn visiting Norway (8633423351).jpg

File:Vladimir Putin and Carlos Ghosn.jpg in 2006]]

In March 1999, Renault and Nissan formed the Renault–Nissan Alliance, and in May 1999 Renault purchased a 36.8% stake in Nissan.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/ALLIANCE/HANDBOOK/2005/arriance_hb2005.pdf Renault–Nissan Alliance, December 2005 (handbook)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225031508/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/ALLIANCE/HANDBOOK/2005/arriance_hb2005.pdf |date=25 December 2016 }}. Nissan-Global.com. p. 40. While maintaining his roles at Renault, Ghosn joined Nissan as its chief operating officer (COO) in June 1999, became its president in June 2000, and was named chief executive officer (CEO) in June 2001. When he joined the company, Nissan had a consolidated interest-bearing net automotive debt of more than $20 billion (more than 2 trillion yen),Kase, Kimio; Sáez-Martinez, Francisco J.; Riquelme, Hernán. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Uwjr3zGswBoC&pg=PA122 Transformational CEOs: Leadership and Management Success in Japan]. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2005. p. 122. and only three of its 46 models sold in Japan were generating a profit.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/ALLIANCE/HANDBOOK/2008/AllianceFigureAndFacts2008.pdf Alliance Facts & Figures 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225030426/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/ALLIANCE/HANDBOOK/2008/AllianceFigureAndFacts2008.pdf |date=25 December 2016 }}. Nissan-Global.com. 2008. Reversing the company's sinking fortunes was considered nearly impossible.Thornton, Emily and Kathleen Kerwin. [https://archive.today/20140914200137/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/1998-11-01/nissan-is-back-in-the-mud-intl-edition "Nissan is back in the mud"]. Businessweek (International Edition). 1 November 1998.Thornton, Emily. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131022220918/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/1999-04-04/the-debt-thats-dragging-nissan-downhill-intl-edition "The Debt That's Dragging Nissan Downhill"]. Businessweek (International Edition). 4 April 1999.[https://money.cnn.com/1999/04/16/asia/nissan/ "Nissan triples loss forecast"]. CNNMoney. 16 April 1999.[http://www.economist.com/node/319884 "Renissant?"]. The Economist. 18 March 1999.

Ghosn's "Nissan Revival Plan", announced in October 1999, called for a return to profitability in fiscal year 2000, a profit margin in excess of 4.5% of sales by the end of fiscal year 2002, and a 50% reduction in the current level of debt by the end of fiscal year 2002.[https://web.archive.org/web/20030323194043/http://www.nissan-global.com/GCC/NRP/SUPPORT/revival-e.pdf Nissan revival plan]. Nissan-Global.com. 18 October 1999.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2001/ar2001_03.pdf The Nissan Revival Plan: Success Ahead of Schedule] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225032118/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2001/ar2001_03.pdf |date=25 December 2016 }}. Nissan Annual Report 2001. Nissan-Global.com. 2002.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Oo63xAFXAfgC&pg=PA120 Shift]. pp. 120–121. Ghosn promised to resign if these goals were not met.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PR19 Shift]. pp. xix, 123. Ghosn's Nissan Revival Plan called for cutting 21,000 Nissan jobs (14% of total workforce), mostly in Japan; shutting five Japanese plants; reducing the number of suppliers and shareholdings; and auctioning off prized assets such as Nissan's aerospace unit.Simison, Robert L. and Norihiko Shirouzu. [https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB940234813452198583 "Nissan to Close Five Plants, Cut Staff By 14% as Part of Restructuring Plan"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415201048/https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB940234813452198583 |date=15 April 2017}}. The Wall Street Journal. 19 October 1999.[http://www.autointell.com/asian_companies/nissan/nissan.htm "Nissan Motor Corporation, Japan"]. Automotive Intelligence. AutoIntell.com. 2000.

Ghosn was the fourth non-Japanese person to lead a Japanese automaker, after Mark Fields, Henry Wallace and James Miller were appointed by Ford to run Mazda in the late 1990s.Mas, Isabelle. [http://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/actualite-economique/le-precedent-quand-ford-a-debarque-au-japon-pour-sauver-mazda_1374720.html "Renault: Le précédent: quand Ford a débarqué au Japon pour sauver Mazda"]. L'Expansion. 23 September 1999. In addition to cutting jobs, plants, and suppliers, Ghosn spearheaded major and dramatic structural and corporate-culture changes at Nissan. He defied Japanese business etiquette in various ways, including by eliminating seniority-based and age-based promotion, by changing lifetime employment from a guarantee to a desired goal for when the company achieved high performance, and by dismantling Nissan's keiretsu system; an interwoven web of parts suppliers with cross-holdings in Nissan.Ghosn, Carlos. [http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2836.html "Saving the Business Without Losing the Company – Breaking with Tradition in a Foreign Land"]. Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. 18 March 2002.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PA153 Shift]. p. 153.Snyder, Bill. [http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/headlines/carlos-ghosn-five-percent-challenge-is-strategy-ninety-five-percent-is-execution "Carlos Ghosn: Five Percent of the Challenge Is the Strategy. Ninety-five Percent Is the Execution"]. Stanford Graduate School of Business. 9 July 2014. When the Nissan Revival Plan was announced, the proposed dismantling of keiretsu earned Ghosn the nickname "keiretsu killer",{{cite news|url=http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/231/Carlos_Ghosn:_cost_controller_or_keiretsu_killer__.html |author=Nezu, Risaburo|title=Carlos Ghosn: cost controller or keiretsu killer? |publisher=OECD Observer |date=19 October 1999 |access-date=27 September 2011}} and The Wall Street Journal quoted a Dresdner Kleinwort Benson analyst in Tokyo as saying Ghosn might become a "target of public outrage" if Nissan threw former affiliates out of its supply chain.Shirouzu, Norihiko. [https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB940185831386718137 "Nissan's Plan for Jump-Start Faces Formidable Obstacles"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415201415/https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB940185831386718137 |date=15 April 2017}}. The Wall Street Journal. 18 October 1999. Ghosn changed Nissan's official company language from Japanese to English, and included executives from Europe and North America in key global strategy sessions for the first time.Thornton, Emily. [http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_46/b3655013.htm "Remaking Nissan: A long, hard day with Carlos Ghosn, the foreigner remaking Japan's giant"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113032606/http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_46/b3655013.htm |date=13 November 2014}}. BusinessWeek (International Edition). 15 November 1999.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Oo63xAFXAfgC&pg=PA161 Shift]. pp. 161–163.

In the first year of the Nissan Revival Plan, Nissan's consolidated net profit after tax climbed to $2.7 billion for fiscal year 2000,[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0105/S00278/nissan-announces-record-results-for-fy-2000.htm "Nissan Announces Record Results For FY 2000"]. Scoop. 31 May 2001. from a consolidated net loss of $6.46 billion in the previous year.[http://www.nissan-global.com/GCC/Japan/NEWS/20000519_0e.html "Nissan reports an operating profit of 82.6 billion Yen, a net loss of 684.4 billion Yen for Fiscal Year 1999 ended March 31, 2000 and forecasts a net profit of 60 billion Yen in Fiscal Year 2000"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201023144/http://www.nissan-global.com/GCC/Japan/NEWS/20000519_0e.html |date=1 December 2015}}. Nissan Press Release. Nissan-Global.com. 19 May 2000. Twelve months into his three-year turnaround plan, Nissan had returned to profitability, and within three years it was one of the industry's most profitable auto makers, with operating margins consistently above 9%; more than twice the industry average.{{cite news |last=Shirouzu |first=Norihiko |title=What Alliance With Mr. Ghosn Could Bring GM |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB115223901242700336 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=7 July 2006}} The goals of the Nissan Revival Plan were all reached before 31 March 2002.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC&pg=PR19 Shift]. p. xix.

In May 2002, Ghosn announced his next set of goals for the company, "Nissan 180", a three-year plan for growth based on the numbers 1, 8, and 0: By the end of September 2005, Nissan planned to increase its global sales by one million vehicles; and by the spring of 2005, it was committed to achieving an operating margin of at least 8% and reducing its net automotive debt to zero.Verburg, Robert; Ortt, J. Roland; Dicke, Willemijn M. [https://books.google.com/books?id=97d-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT453 Managing Technology and Innovation: An Introduction]. Routledge, 2006. p. 301.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2001/ar2001_04.pdf Nissan 180: Ready and Positioned for Growth] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225031908/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2001/ar2001_04.pdf |date=25 December 2016 }}. Nissan Annual Report 2001. Nissan-Global.com. 2002. These goals were all reached:Bhatia, Monish K. [http://www.leftlanenews.com/nissan-180-complete-annual-sales-reach-367-million.html "'Nissan 180' complete, annual sales reach 3.67 million"]. LeftLane.com. 6 October 2005. In the spring of 2003, Nissan announced that its net automotive debt was eliminated in fiscal year 2002.Kase, Kimio; Sáez-Martinez, Francisco J.; Riquelme, Hernán. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Uwjr3zGswBoC&pg=PA136 Transformational CEOs: Leadership and Management Success in Japan]. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2005. p. 136.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2002/ar2002.pdf Annual Report Year Ended March 31, 2003] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225030852/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2002/ar2002.pdf |date=25 December 2016 }}. Nissan-Global.com. Nissan's operating profit margin climbed to 11.1% in fiscal year 2003;[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/IR/LIBRARY/FINANCIAL/2003/ NISSAN 180 Update and FY2003 Financial Results, Apr.26, 2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514015632/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/IR/LIBRARY/FINANCIAL/2003/ |date=14 May 2016 }} Nissan-Global.com. 26 April 2004. it had been 1.4% in fiscal year 1999.Ibison, David. [http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/51a20d48-b553-11d9-be59-00000e2511c8.html "Nissan sees modest growth after record profit"]. Financial Times. 25 April 2005. In October 2005, Nissan announced that its annual sales from 30 September 2004, to 30 September 2005, were more than 3.67 million, up from the 2.6 million vehicles sold in the fiscal year ended March 2002.[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9849207 "Strong global sales boost Nissan's profit"]. Associated Press. 28 October 2005.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924172523/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-113869874.html "Nissan reaches vehicle sale growth target"]. Associated Press. 6 October 2005.

File:Carlos Ghosn GT-R.jpg at the Tokyo Motor Show (2007).]]

In May 2005, Ghosn was named president and chief executive officer of Renault. When he assumed the CEO roles at both Renault and Nissan, Ghosn became the world's first person to simultaneously run two companies on the Fortune Global 500.{{cite news| url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/07/10/news/companies/8381630.fortune/index.htm | work=CNN | first=Alex | last=Taylor III | title=How would Ghosn fix GM? | date=10 July 2006}}

In 2005, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian acquired a 9.9% stake in General Motors (GM), seated one of his representatives on the company's board, and then urged GM to initiate a merger with Renault and Nissan, with Ghosn serving as the new chairman of GM. In 2006, GM's embattled management rebuffed the takeover attempt, and by the end of the year, Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. sold most of its GM stock.{{cite web|url=http://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-Ka-M/Kerkorian-Kirk.html |title=Kirk Kerkorian Biography |publisher=Encyclopedia of World Biography |access-date=27 September 2011}}

In 2006, Ford Motor Co. made Ghosn a formal offer to lead the company.Sabatini, Jeff. [http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/book-ghosn-wouldve-taken-top-spot-at-ford-but-only-if-named-c/ "Book: Ghosn would've taken top spot at Ford, but only if named CEO and Chairman"]. Autoblog.com. 12 March 2012. Ghosn refused, reportedly saying the only way he would come to the struggling company was if he was named both the CEO and chairman of the board. Bill Ford Jr. refused to give up his chairmanship.[http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120312/OEM02/303129949 "Ford book: Bill fumed over Focus; Ghosn eyed the crown"]. Automotive News. 12 March 2012.

File:Carlos Ghosn Honmoku 3.jpg

In 2007, Ghosn led the Renault–Nissan Alliance into the mass-market zero-emission electric car market in a major way, and committed €4 billion (more than $5 billion) to the effort.Moffett, Sebastian. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125287239312206713 "Nissan, Renault Place a Big Bet On Electric Cars"]. The Wall Street Journal. 14 September 2009.Squatriglia, Chuck. [https://www.wired.com/2011/06/qa-with-carlos-ghosn/ "Q&A: Renault–Nissan CEO Pledges $5.6 Billion for EVs"]. Wired. 16 June 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2010/05/nissans_ghosn_gambles_big_on_electric_cars.html |author=David Welch |title=Nissan's Ghosn gambles big on electric cars |publisher=BusinessWeek |date=26 May 2010 |access-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417041457/http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2010/05/nissans_ghosn_gambles_big_on_electric_cars.html |archive-date=17 April 2011 }}[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2008/_STORY/080121-02-e.html "Renault–Nissan and Project Better Place prepare for first mass marketed electric vehicles"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165804/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2008/_STORY/080121-02-e.html |date=3 March 2016 }}. (Press release) Nissan-Global.com. 21 January 2008. In 2008, he confirmed that Nissan–Renault would bring an "entire lineup" of zero-emission electric cars to the worldwide market by 2012.Chambers, Nick. [http://gas2.org/2008/11/20/nissan-and-oregon-team-up-to-bring-electric-cars-to-the-masses/ "Nissan & Oregon Team Up to Bring Electric Cars to the Masses"]. Gas2.org. 20 November 2008.[http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Non-Power-Nuclear-Applications/Transport/Electricity-and-Cars/ "Electricity and Cars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131035312/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Non-Power-Nuclear-Applications/Transport/Electricity-and-Cars/ |date=31 January 2016 }}. World Nuclear Association. October 2014. In 2009, he told the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, "If you're going to let developing countries have as many cars as they want—and they're going to have as many cars as they want one way or another—there is absolutely no alternative but to go for zero emissions. And the only zero-emissions vehicle available today is electric ... So we decided to go for it."{{cite web|url=http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2364 |title=Renault–Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn: 'Now Is the Time for the Electric Car' – Knowledge@Wharton |publisher=Knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu |access-date=27 September 2011}} The Nissan Leaf, an electric car billed as "the world's first affordable zero-emission car",de Courson, Roland. [http://www.industryweek.com/environment/nissan-unveils-leaf-electric-car "Nissan Unveils 'Leaf' Electric Car"]. IndustryWeek. 2 August 2009.[http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2009/_STORY/090802-02-e.html Nissan unveils "Leaf" – The world's first electric car designed for affordability and real-world requirements] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210162859/http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2009/_STORY/090802-02-e.html |date=10 February 2012 }}. Nissan Motor Corporation. 2 August 2009. debuted in December 2010. By 2017, the Renault–Nissan Alliance was the world leader in electric vehicles, selling more than twice as many electric cars as Tesla, and the Nissan Leaf was the world's best-selling electric vehicle by a wide margin.Schmitt, Bertel. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/bertelschmitt/2017/04/07/renault-nissan-alliance-trounces-tesla-21-or-worse/ "Renault–Nissan Alliance Trounces Tesla 2:1 (Or Worse.)"]. Forbes. 7 April 2017.

Ghosn was a visible leader in recovery efforts after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, one of the worst natural disasters in modern history.{{cite news|url=http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/05/with-nissan%E2%80%99s-carlos-ghosn-near-fukushima-a-glowing-report/ |title=With Nissan's Carlos Ghosn Near Fukushima. A Glowing Report |author=Schmitt, Bertel |work=The Truth About Cars |date=17 May 2011 |access-date=27 September 2011}} On 29 March 2011, he made the first of several visits to the hard-hit Iwaki engine plant in Fukushima prefecture, 50 km (31 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant,Nishimura, Koji; Nomura, Shu; Komori, Atsushi. [http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/recovery/AJ201103303666 "Nuclear crisis overshadows manufacturers' restoration efforts"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006090608/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/recovery/AJ201103303666 |date=6 October 2014 }}. Asia & Japan Watch. 30 March 2011.[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/03/30/business/ghosn-vows-to-reopen-iwaki-plant-in-april "Ghosn vows to reopen Iwaki plant in April"]. Japan Times. 30 March 2011. and at his direction Nissan restored full operations at the Iwaki factory well ahead of expectations.Zulovich, Nick. [http://www.autoremarketing.com/mobile/retail/nissan-toyota-celebrate-more-production-restoration "Nissan & Toyota Celebrate More Production Restoration"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805055928/http://www.autoremarketing.com/mobile/retail/nissan-toyota-celebrate-more-production-restoration |date=5 August 2017 }}. Auto Remarketing. 19 May 2011.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/nissan-idUSL4E7GH0G220110517 | work=Reuters | title=Update 1-Nissan working to restore full production before Oct-CEO | date=17 May 2011 | first=Chang-Ran | last=Kim | access-date=30 June 2017 | archive-date=24 September 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924153035/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/17/nissan-idUSL4E7GH0G220110517 | url-status=live }}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ZyL73U654 Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn Iwaki Visit (Full Version)]. (video) Uploaded 19 May 2011. He appeared on television in Japan to encourage optimism.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=163484233710024 |title=Carlos Ghosn interview on "World Business Satellite" – TV Tokyo |publisher=Facebook |date=8 April 2011 |access-date=27 September 2011}}[http://www.nikkei.com/news/print-article/?ng=DGXNASFZ0202N_S1A600C1K14901 "現場に甘えぬ経営者 震災対応第2幕、問われる決断"]. Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 5 June 2011.[http://datazoo.jp/tv/%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%89%E3%83%93%E3%82%B8%E3%83%8D%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B5%E3%83%86%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88/475581 March 29, 2011 broadcast 23:00 to 23:58] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225082217/https://datazoo.jp/tv/%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%89%E3%83%93%E3%82%B8%E3%83%8D%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B5%E3%83%86%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88/475581 |date=25 February 2021 }} (broadcast notes). TV Tokyo.[http://www.news24.jp/articles/2011/05/17/06182873.html "Ghosn visits affected Nissan factory to encourage employees"]. News24.jp. 17 May 2011. In May 2011, Ghosn remained committed to building at least 1 million of Nissan's cars and trucks in Japan annually.Kitamura, Makiko and Yuki Hagiwara. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/nissan-beats-estimates-after-earthquake.html "Ghosn Says Suppliers Recovering From Quake"]. Bloomberg. 12 May 2011. In 2011 Ghosn was under scrutiny by the French government for mishandling a spying scandal related to Renault.{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Jennifer |last2=Betts |first2=Paul |title=Focus on Ghosn after spy scandal |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5f7ddaea-50bc-11e0-9227-00144feab49a |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=Financial Times |date=17 March 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Ruddick |first1=Graham |last2=Russell |first2=Jonathan |title=Renault chief Carlos Ghosn sorry over spying allegations |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/8382158/Renault-chief-Carlos-Ghosn-sorry-over-spying-allegations.html |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=14 March 2011}}

In June 2012, Ghosn was named deputy chairman of the board of directors of Russian automobile manufacturer AvtoVAZ.{{cite web|url=http://www.lada.ru/biography.xml |title=The composition of the Board of Directors of AvtoVAZ since June 28, 2012 |access-date=21 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820081706/http://www.lada.ru/biography.xml |archive-date=20 August 2012 }} In June 2013, he was appointed chairman of the Russian company, a position he retained through June 2016.[https://www.reuters.com/article/renault-avtovaz-idUSL5N17L2HS "Renault's Ghosn cedes Avtovaz chairmanship to Rostec exec"]. Reuters. 18 April 2016. Renault had begun a strategic partnership with AvtoVAZ in 2008 by acquiring a 25% stake in the company;[http://www.info-financiere.fr/upload/NDF/2009/04/FCNDFMAN20090411_152018.pdf Renault and AvtoVAZ confirm their strategic partnership] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006174747/http://www.info-financiere.fr/upload/NDF/2009/04/FCNDFMAN20090411_152018.pdf |date=6 October 2014 }}. Renault (press release). 29 February 2008. this led to increasingly deeper partnerships between Renault–Nissan and AvtoVAZ,[https://www.bbc.com/news/business-17929039 "Renault–Nissan to take control of Lada-owner Avtovaz"]. BBC News. 3 May 2012. ending in Renault–Nissan Alliance control of the Russian automaker in 2014.Ostrouk, Andrey. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/renault-nissan-acquire-control-of-avtovaz-1403883463 "Renault, Nissan Buy Majority Stake in Russia's Avtovaz"]. The Wall Street Journal. 27 June 2014.

In February 2017, Ghosn announced he would step down as CEO of Nissan on 1 April 2017, while remaining chairman of the company.Soblefeb, Jonathan. [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/business/nissan-executive-carlos-ghosn.html "Carlos Ghosn, Executive Who Revived Nissan, Will Step Aside"]. The New York Times. 22 February 2017.McLain, Sean; Sylvers, Eric. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-handing-off-nissan-ghosn-aims-to-get-arms-around-the-broader-alliance-1487854621 "Renault–Nissan's Carlos Ghosn Sees Paris as Hurdle to Auto Merger"]. The Wall Street Journal. 23 February 2017. Hiroto Saikawa, succeeded Ghosn at Nissan. In November 2018, Renault owned 43.4% of Nissan, while Nissan owned non-voting shares equal to 15% of Renault's equity.

=Mitsubishi=

File:Carlos Ghosn.jpg in Davos (2008)]]

In October 2016, Nissan completed the acquisition of a controlling 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Ghosn became, in addition to his Renault–Nissan posts, chairman of Mitsubishi, with an aim to rehabilitate the automaker after a months-long scandal involving fuel-economy misrepresentation and consequent falling revenues. The Nissan–Mitsubishi partnership includes partnership in developing electric automobiles for Mitsubishi, and the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance creates the world's fourth-largest auto group, after Toyota, Volkswagen AG, and General Motors Co.Ma, Jie; Horie, Masatsugu. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-20/nissan-seals-2-3-billion-mitsubishi-motors-stake-acquisition "Nissan Seals $2.3 Billion Mitsubishi Motors Stake Acquisition"]. Bloomberg News. 19 October 2016.[https://www.bbc.com/news/business-36273122 "Nissan to take 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors"]. BBC News. 12 May 2016.Greimel, Hans. [http://europe.autonews.com/article/20161020/ANE/161029998/nissan-takes-control-of-mitsubishi-with-ghosn-as-chairman "Nissan takes control of Mitsubishi with Ghosn as chairman"]. Automotive News Europe. 20 October 2016.

Mitsubishi Motors board removed Ghosn from his role as chairman on 26 November 2018, following his arrest and ousting from Nissan for alleged financial misconduct.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/manufacturing/mitsubishi-ousts-ghosn-as-chairman-after-nissan-firing-1.3710760|title=Mitsubishi ousts Ghosn as chairman after Nissan firing|date=26 November 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=26 November 2018}}

=Advisorships=

Ghosn served on the International Advisory Board of Brazilian bank Banco Itaú (a major party in the privatisation of Renault) until 2015.[http://ww13.itau.com.br/PortalRI/HTML/ing/download/CCI.pdf "Itaú Unibanco forms International Advisory Board"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927030151/http://ww13.itau.com.br/PortalRI/HTML/ing/download/CCI.pdf |date=27 September 2013 }}. Banco Itaú. Retrieved 24 November 2014.{{cite web|title=Organizational Structure|url=https://www.itau.com.br/itaubba-en/about-itau-bba/who-we-are/organizational-structure|website=Itaú|access-date=6 October 2015}} He is also a member of the advisory board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing.[http://www.sem.tsinghua.edu.cn/portalweb/appmanager/portal/MBAen;SEMPORTALJSESSIONID=zv8nQGhH00BXngTT1t1FdLpBVGSQxG1YFp6CfCyGTCYYmyM1ww0k!578764396?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=T25803926801270713397649&u=NEWS%2F53941.htm%3Ftarget%3Dno&_pageLabel=P7800326801270713368685 "First Nissan-Tsinghua Lecture on Renault–Nissan Alliance"]. Tsinghua University. 4 June 2012. He has received an honorary doctorate from American University of Beirut;[http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/pages/74360.aspx "Carlos Ghosn tells students to embrace diversity"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505225753/http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/pages/74360.aspx |date=5 May 2012 }}. American University of Beirut News. 28 August 2007. and he is a member of the Strategic Council, Saint Joseph University of Beirut.[https://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sustainableenergyforall/home/members/Ghosn The Secretary General's High-Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All: Carlos Ghosn] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927104628/http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sustainableenergyforall/home/members/Ghosn |date=27 September 2013 }}. United Nations. UN.org. Retrieved 24 November 2014. In 2014 and 2015, he was elected president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.{{cite web | url = http://www.acea.be/press-releases/article/carlos_ghosn_elected_acea_president | title = Carlos Ghosn elected ACEA President | date = 12 May 2014 | website = ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers Association | access-date = 19 January 2016}}{{cite web | url = http://www.acea.be/press-releases/article/dieter-zetsche-elected-acea-president-for-2016 | title = Carlos Ghosn re-elected President of ACEA for 2015 | date = 5 December 2014 | website = ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers Association | access-date = 19 January 2016}}{{cite web | url = http://www.acea.be/press-releases/article/dieter-zetsche-elected-acea-president-for-2016 | title = Dieter Zetsche elected ACEA President for 2016 | date = 8 December 2015 | website = ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers Association | access-date = 19 January 2016}} He serves as governor of the World Economic Forum.{{cite web|title=Carlos Ghosn – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer|url=https://group.renault.com/en/our-company/leadership/board-of-directors/carlos-ghosn-2/|website=Renault|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006074602/https://group.renault.com/en/our-company/leadership/board-of-directors/carlos-ghosn-2/|archive-date=6 October 2015|url-status=dead}}

Legal troubles

=Initial arrest=

On 19 November 2018, Tokyo district prosecutors arrested Ghosn at 4:30 p.m. upon his re-entry into Japan aboard a private jet that had come from Lebanon,{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/2175124/ousted-nissan-chairman-ghosn-accused-using-business-jet-personal|title=Ousted chairman Ghosn accused of making Nissan pay for his personal investment losses|last=Ma|first=Jie|date=27 November 2018|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=11 January 2019}} for questioning over allegations of false accounting.Le Point. [https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1144438/nombreuses-questions-apres-larrestation-de-ghosn.html {{"'}}Du côté des autorités japonaises et françaises, un seul mot d'ordre: la stabilité de l'alliance' Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Motors".] Le Point. 20 November 2018.{{cite news |title=Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn arrested over 'misconduct' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46259420 |access-date=19 November 2018 |work=BBC |date=19 November 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20181119/k10011716371000.html|title=東京地検 日産本社を捜索 金融商品取引法違反の疑い – NHKニュース|last=日本放送協会|website=nhk.or.jp|access-date=19 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065354/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20181119/k10011716371000.html|archive-date=21 November 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-20/questions-swirl-over-what-felled-ghosn-as-property-deals-raised|title=Ghosn's Downfall Sparks Questions on Links to Property, Expenses|last=Reidy|first=Gearoid|date=19 November 2018|newspaper=Bloomberg|access-date=20 November 2018}} Ghosn's top aide, Greg Kelly, a Nissan director and former head of human resources, was also arrested upon his arrival from the U.S. that day.

On the same day, Nissan chief executive Hiroto Saikawa announced at a press conference that Ghosn had been dismissed from Nissan's board and would be stripped of executive rights at a meeting to be held on 22 November. Saikawa stressed that the dismissal was the result of an internal inquiry by Nissan,{{cite web | url = http://fortune.com/2018/11/19/nissan-chairman-carlos-ghosn-arrest/ | title = The Chairman of Nissan Has Been Arrested in Tokyo. Here's Why. | date = 19 November 2018 | website = Fortune | access-date = 19 November 2018}} and alleged that Ghosn and Kelly had under-reported their compensation (a violation of securities law) and used company assets for personal use.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-19/ghosn-to-be-arrested-on-suspected-financial-law-breach-asahi-joo251ln|title=Nissan's Ghosn Arrested in Japan, Threatening Three-Way Alliance|last=Ma|first=Jie|date=19 November 2018|newspaper=Bloomberg|access-date=20 November 2018}} While the allegations remained unproven in court, with due legal process pending, at the same news conference, Saikawa "expressed disappointment, indignation, and despair at Ghosn's conduct, which included using company funds for personal investments and misusing corporate assets" and also said, "This is an act that cannot be tolerated by the company... It is sufficient grounds for his dismissal."

Although the company did not provide details, reports in the Japanese media stated that Nissan was paying all or some of the costs at some amount of US$18 million for residences used by Ghosn in Rio de Janeiro, Beirut, Paris and Amsterdam, and that Ghosn charged family vacation expenses to the company. The purchases of some of these residences and the payment of expenses were handled by a shell company named Zi-A Capital BV based in the Netherlands, which Kelly had instructed Nissan's board to set up to make venture investments at the end of 2010 (around the same time as Ghosn's divorce from his first wife and beginning of a relationship with his second wife).{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-fall-of-the-house-of-ghosn-11545003310 |last1=McLain |first1=Sean |last2=Dvorak |first2=Phred |last3=Schechner |first3=Sam |last4=Kowsmann |first4=Patricia |title=The Fall of the House of Ghosn |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=16 December 2018 |access-date=17 December 2018}} Nissan funds were used to purchase Ghosn's Paris apartment in 2005, and Zi-A funds were used to purchase his $5 million beachfront Rio apartment in 2012 and his Beirut mansion, which, with renovations, cost over $15 million. Nissan compliance auditors began trying to track Zi-A activity in 2014 but were stymied at first by the chain of shell companies used in Zi-A investments.

In addition, to avoid reporting the full amount of his compensation in Nissan financials, as required by Japanese law beginning in 2010, Ghosn had Kelly structure complicated deferred payment plans which went unreported under an aggressive interpretation of the disclosure rules which Nissan's outside auditors had not signed off on, and which totaled around $80 million at the time of his arrest eight years later. According to Nikkei reports, Ghosn told investigators that he instructed Kelly to handle the compensation reporting in a legal manner, and Kelly told investigators that he acted on advice from outside law firms and the Financial Services Agency in handling the reporting.{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Nissan-s-Ghosn-crisis/Ghosn-says-he-told-staff-to-handle-pay-reporting-legally|title=Ghosn says he told staff to handle pay reporting legally|website=Nikkei Asian Review|language=en-GB|access-date=28 November 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Nissan-s-Ghosn-crisis/Experts-said-pay-reporting-unnecessary-Ghosn-aide-says|title=Experts said pay reporting unnecessary, Ghosn aide says|website=Nikkei Asian Review|language=en-GB|access-date=28 November 2018}} Leaks to the media said that Ghosn had planned to call a vote to fire Nissan CEO Saikawa and reinstate Kelly (who had semi-retired to the U.S. in 2015) to active service at the scheduled board meeting.

Ghosn was detained at the Tokyo Detention House, under Japanese rules that allow suspects to be detained for up to 23 days without criminal charges being filed.{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Cover-Story/Ghosn-scandal-puts-spotlight-on-Japan-s-judicial-system|title=Ghosn scandal puts spotlight on Japan's judicial system|website=Nikkei Asian Review|language=en-GB|access-date=28 November 2018}} Ghosn and Kelly were reportedly arrested on information provided by an unidentified non-Japanese executive in Nissan's legal department, in the second deal ever struck under Japan's recently introduced plea bargaining system. Charges were filed against Ghosn and Kelly on the underreporting of deferred compensation on 10 December, along with allegations of additional charges that restarted a 10-day holding period without bail. Nissan also took control of the Rio and Beirut properties and changed the locks, which has led Ghosn's family to sue for access.

=Continued detention and new charges=

On 21 December 2018, Ghosn was re-arrested on suspicion of shifting to Nissan personal losses of US$16.6 million related to a personal swap contract in October 2008 (during the global financial crisis).{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carlos-ghosn-re-arrested-on-suspicion-of-shifting-personal-losses-to-nissan-11545360451 |first=Sean |last=McLain |title=Carlos Ghosn Re-Arrested on Suspicion of Shifting Personal Losses to Nissan |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=20 December 2018 |access-date=20 December 2018}} The introduction of those charges prevented Ghosn's release on bail later the same day, because the new charges permitted an additional 10–20 days of incarceration prior to a bail hearing. Subsequent reporting linked this charge to Ghosn's dealings with Sheikh Khaled al-Juffali, the vice chairman of one of Saudi Arabia's largest conglomerates and majority owner of a company which owns half of a regional joint venture called Nissan Gulf, with the other half held by a wholly owned Nissan subsidiary.{{cite news |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/12/27/business/corporate-business/nissan-sources-link-latest-ghosn-allegations-khaled-al-juffali-vice-chairman-one-saudi-arabias-largest-conglomerates/#.XDHHlS2ZPs0 |first=Norihiko |last=Shirouzu |title=Nissan sources link latest Ghosn allegations to Khaled Al-Juffali, vice chairman of one of Saudi Arabia's largest conglomerates |agency=Reuters |date=27 December 2018 |access-date=6 January 2019|newspaper=The Japan Times Online}} In return for a personal letter of credit from Juffali to Ghosn during the 2008 crisis, which served as bank-demanded collateral for Ghosn's swap contract, Nissan indirectly paid $14.7 million from an internal discretionary fund known as the "CEO Reserve" to a wholly owned Juffali company in four installments between 2009 and 2012, although the internal documentation did not specify the ultimate recipient. According to Tokyo prosecutors, Kelly was not involved in this transaction and so was released on bail on 25 December.

Ghosn made his first public appearance after his arrest at an arraignment on Tuesday, 8 January 2019, where he asserted his innocence, making a statement in response to the main allegations against him; however, his bid to be released from prison on these charges was rejected.{{cite web |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/carlos-ghosn-the-allegations-and-the-rebuttals-in-the-case-of-the-ex-nissan-chairman |title=Carlos Ghosn: The allegations and the rebuttals in the case of the ex-Nissan chairman |work=The Straits Times |location=Singapore |date=8 January 2019 |access-date=11 January 2019}}{{Cite news|last=Atiyeh|first=Clifford|title=Ex-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn Says He's "Wrongly Accused" of Financial Misconduct; Appeal for Release Pending Trial Rejected|url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a25804812/nissans-carlos-ghosn-declares-innocence/|date=9 January 2019|work=Car and Driver|access-date=9 January 2019}}

Ghosn's imprisonment was set to end on 11 January 2019. That day, Ghosn was indicted on two additional charges: aggravated breach of trust and understating his income, once again extending his imprisonment.{{Cite web|title=Carlos Ghosn: Ex-Nissan chair faces two new charges|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46833256|date=11 January 2019|work=BBC News|access-date=11 January 2019}}{{Cite magazine|title=Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn Charged With Breach of Trust|last=Kageyama|first=Yuri|url=http://time.com/5500401/nissan-carlos-ghosn-charged-breach-of-trust/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111200418/http://time.com/5500401/nissan-carlos-ghosn-charged-breach-of-trust/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2019|date=11 January 2019|magazine=TIME|access-date=11 January 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/11/investing/premarket-stocks-trading/index.html |first=Ivana |last= Kottasová |title=Oil price rally; Carlos Ghosn indicted again; Fed worries |work=CNN |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019}} As a result, he could remain in jail for months more before a trial would take place. Two days later, Nissan's investigation allegedly found that, in addition to the underreporting of salary already charged, Ghosn had paid himself an undisclosed $8 million in 2018 from a Netherlands-based joint venture owned by Nissan and Mitsubishi that was set up in 2017, without the knowledge of either company's directors because Ghosn had the sole authority to dispense cash from the venture.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ghosn-received-8-million-from-nissan-mitsubishi-entity-nissan-probe-alleges-11547380793 |first=Sean |last=McLain |title=Ghosn Received $8 Million From Nissan-Mitsubishi Entity, Nissan Probe Alleges |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=13 January 2019 |access-date=13 January 2019}}

Ghosn again appealed the denial of bail from 8 January 2019 and offered to meet greater restrictions and higher guarantees of appearance in return for his release, including wearing an ankle bracelet and posting his Nissan stock as collateral.{{Cite news|last=LeBeau|first=Phil|title=Ex-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn makes new request for bail, offering up passports and Nissan stock as collateral|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/20/ex-nissan-ceo-carlos-ghosn-makes-new-request-for-bail.html|date=20 January 2019|publisher=CNBC|access-date=20 January 2019}} Additionally, on 14 January 2019 Ghosn's wife Carole published a letter that she wrote to Human Rights Watch protesting against his treatment in detainment. Nevertheless, on 21 January 2019, the Tokyo district court again denied bail.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carlos-ghosn-denied-bail-again-11548129148?mod=hp_lead_pos4 |first=Peter |last=Landers |title=Carlos Ghosn's Revised Bail Request Rejected by Tokyo Court |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=21 January 2018 |access-date=21 January 2018}}

The Japanese term hitojichi shihō ("hostage justice") has been brought up in some media reports.{{Cite web |date=18 March 2019 |title= |script-title=ja:【環球異見】ゴーン被告保釈 英紙「司法制度がカントリーリスク」 仏紙「国際的圧力の作用は確実」 |url=https://www.sankei.com/column/news/190318/clm1903180003-n1.html |website=Sankei News |language=ja}}[http://www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/2019/03/05/20002-20190305ARTFIG00009-carlos-ghosn-pourrait-sortir-de-prison-aujourd-hui.php Carlos Ghosn autorisé à sortir de prison, trois mois après son arrestation] – Le Figaro {{in lang|fr}}{{Cite news|last=Ripley|first=Will|title=The Carlos Ghosn case is putting Japan's system of 'hostage justice' under scrutiny|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/20/business/carlos-ghosn-japan-justice-system/index.html|date=21 January 2019|work=CNN|access-date=17 November 2019}} Takashi Takano, one of Ghosn's lawyers stated that the Japanese judicial system is a country risk.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/742c2124-3fbd-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece|title=Carlos Ghosn released from Tokyo jail after 108 days|newspaper=Financial Times|date=6 March 2019|url-access=subscription|last1=Inagaki|first1=Kana}}

=Further developments=

File:Carlos Ghosn, 2007 (cropped).jpg

On 11 January 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.asahi.com/special/carlosghosn2/en.html|title=Ghosen – Japan's Biggest Plea Bargaining Case|website=The Asahi Shimbun – www.asahi.com}} José Muñoz, Nissan's chief performance officer and head of its China operations, resigned from the company.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/12/nissan-executive-jose-munoz-resigns-after-ex-chairman-ghosns-arrest.html |agency=Reuters |title=Nissan top executive resigns amid broadened investigation of ex-Chairman Ghosn |work=Reuters |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019}} Muñoz, considered to be a close ally to Ghosn and a possible successor as CEO of Renault and Nissan, had been a "person of interest" in Nissan's internal investigation, with which he was reported to be uncooperative. One of Nissan's three independent directors opined that Nissan may simply eliminate the position of chairman and not replace Ghosn, a route previously taken by other scandal-plagued Japanese companies.{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-17/nissan-may-abolish-chairman-role-as-it-rebuilds-director-says |first1=Kae |last1=Inoue |first2=Masatsugu |last2=Horie |title=Nissan May Scrap Chairman Role as It Rebuilds, Director Says |work=Bloomberg News |date=17 January 2019 |access-date=21 January 2019}} The Reuters Japan news service reported that Nissan may file suit against Ghosn personally.{{cite news |url=https://news.alphastreet.com/nissan-might-sue-ousted-chairman-carlos-ghosn-renault-legal-tokyo/ |title=Nissan might sue ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn |work=AlphaStreet |date=16 January 2019 |access-date=21 January 2019}}

At first the French government and Renault had been reported to be standing behind Ghosn during his imprisonment, on the presumption that Ghosn is innocent until proven guilty. However, France's financial minister Bruno Le Maire stated on 16 January that Renault may seek a new CEO to replace Ghosn due to his continued incarceration.{{cite news |url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a25938271/carlos-ghosn-jail-mistreatment-japan/ |last=Atiyeh |first=Clifford |title=The Japanese are Mistreating Ousted Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in Jail, Says His Wife|work=Car and Driver |date=17 January 2019 |access-date=17 January 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/business/renault-carlos-ghosn.html |first=Liz |last=Alderman |title=French Government Calls for Carlos Ghosn to Be Replaced as Renault's Leader |work=The New York Times |date=16 January 2019 |access-date=21 January 2018}} Renault possibly worried about Nissan taking the chance to use the power vacuum at Renault to reshape the alliance's balance of power.{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-23/nissan-is-said-to-seek-review-of-renault-shareholding-structure |first1=Jie |last1=Ma |first2=Kae |last2=Inoue |title=Nissan Pushes for More Power in Post-Ghosn Alliance |work=Bloomberg News |date=23 November 2018 |access-date=21 January 2019}} "According to Japanese corporate law, Renault's voting rights [in Nissan] could be canceled if Nissan raises its shareholding to more than 25 percent in the French carmaker. Under French rules, if Renault lowered its stake in Nissan below 40 percent, then it will help the Japanese carmaker get voting rights in the French company." After the French government called for leadership change and his bail requests were rejected by the Japanese courts, Ghosn finally agreed to step down.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/24/renault-to-name-new-boss-as-carlos-ghosn-quits-nissan |first=Jasper |last=Jolly |title=Renault names new chairman and CEO after Carlos Ghosn quits |work=The Guardian |date=24 January 2019 |access-date=26 January 2019}} He resigned as chairman and CEO of Renault on 24 January 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46298999|title=Carlos Ghosn: Nissan ousts former boss from its board|date=8 April 2019|work=BBC|access-date=8 April 2019}}

On 30 January 2019, Ghosn said the charges were "plot and treason" by executives at Nissan who opposed the relationship with Renault and a future plan that was in the works to integrate Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault.{{cite news |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Nissan-s-Ghosn-crisis/Exclusive-interview-Ghosn-says-plot-and-treason-led-to-arrest|title=Exclusive interview: Ghosn says 'plot and treason' led to arrest |work=Nikkei Asian Review |date=30 January 2019 |access-date=30 January 2019}} In mid-February 2019, Ghosn's lead counsel Motonari Otsuru stepped down and was replaced by Jun'ichirō Hironaka, who has a record of success in a number of high-profile cases.{{cite web|url=https://japantoday.com/category/crime/With-legal-team-shake-up-Ghosn-seeks-punchier-defense|website=Japan Today|title=With legal team shake-up, Ghosn seeks punchier defense|last=Nishimura|first=Karyn|date=17 February 2019|access-date=17 February 2019}}

==Bail==

In early March 2019, Ghosn was granted a request for bail in a Tokyo court. This was his third bail request, and the first by his new legal team under Hironaka. The court set bail at 1 billion yen (about US$9 million) subject to stringent conditions. He was not allowed to travel abroad, and had to remain at a given address under 24-hour camera surveillance, with no internet access. He was released on 6 March 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47466766|title=Nissan ex-boss Ghosn released after 108 days|date=6 March 2019|publisher=BBC News}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/markets/ghosn-s-bail-conditions-from-surveillance-cameras-to-no-internet-access-1.834493|title=Ghosn's bail conditions from surveillance cameras to no internet access|date=8 March 2019|publisher=The National, Abu Dhabi}}

On 3 April 2019, Ghosn tweeted that he was "ready to tell the truth" and that he would hold a conference on 11 April 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/03/ex-nissan-chair-carlos-ghosn-says-on-twitter-ready-to-tell-the-truth.html|title=Ousted Nissan Chairman Ghosn says on Twitter he's 'ready to tell the truth'|publisher=CNBC|date=3 April 2019|access-date=3 April 2019}} He was re-arrested for the fourth time early on 4 April 2019 over new suspicions of financial misconduct concerning alleged dealings via Oman.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/prosecutors-to-rearrest-former-nissan-ceo-ghosn-11554329941|title= Carlos Ghosn, Former Nissan Chairman, Is Arrested on New Allegations |work=The Wall Street Journal|date=3 April 2019|access-date=3 April 2019}} Ghosn released a statement claiming the arrest was "outrageous and arbitrary".{{Cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/04/business/tokyo-prosecutors-rearrest-carlos-ghosn/#.XKVgeqeZM_U|title=Tokyo prosecutors rearrest Carlos Ghosn on alleged aggravated breach of trust: reports |work=The Japan Times|date=3 April 2019|access-date=3 April 2019}} Until that point in time he had been held for 108 days since he was first arrested in November 2018.

On 8 April 2019, during an extraordinary shareholders' meeting, Nissan shareholders voted to remove Ghosn from the company board.{{cite news|date=2020-01-05|title=Inspectors Skipped X-Ray Checks for Ghosn Jet, NHK Says|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-05/inspectors-skipped-x-ray-luggage-checks-for-ghosn-jet-nhk-says|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Bloomberg |first=Go |last=Onomitsu}} Shareholders also voted to remove Ghosn's former right-hand man Greg Kelly, and to appoint Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard as a director. The next day, Ghosn posted a YouTube video, where he publicly stated that he was "innocent of all the accusations that came around these charges that are all biased, taken out of context, twisted in a way to paint a personage of greed, and a personage of dictatorship". He also claimed that the payments to Juffali were meant to help Nissan fix a dispute with a local distributor, and to open a bank contract to convert his salary from yen to US dollars, in order to avoid currency swings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a27087627/nissan-carlos-ghosn-video-claiming-conspiracy/|title=Ousted Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn Fires Back in Video Claiming Conspiracy and Backstabbing|work=Car and Driver|last=Atiyeh|first=Clifford|date=9 April 2019|access-date=9 April 2019}}

The Japanese court rejected an appeal filed by Ghosn's lawyers, and approved an initial 10 days detention for Ghosn, until 22 April 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/13/business/corporate-business/supreme-court-rejects-appeal-carlos-ghosns-lawyers-latest-detention/#.XWJlBHtRWUk|title=Supreme Court rejects appeal from Carlos Ghosn's lawyers over latest detention|last=Kyodo|date=13 April 2019|newspaper=The Japan Times Online|access-date=25 August 2019}} He was released in late April, but confined to strict house arrest, including having no contact with his wife for four months.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/22/business/carlos-ghosn-carole-ghosn/index.html|title=Carlos Ghosn's wife asks Macron to help her husband|author=Michelle Toh|website=CNN|date=22 August 2019|access-date=25 August 2019}}

==Investigations in other countries==

In June 2019, Renault published that in an internal audit they had uncovered 11 million euros in questionable expenses by Ghosn,{{cite web |title=Communication of the board of directors on the findings of the joint RNBV audit |url=https://media.group.renault.com/global/en-gb/groupe-renault/media/pressreleases/21227309/communique-du-conseil-dadministration-relatif-aux-conclusions-de-laudit-conjoint-rnbv |publisher=Renault |access-date=31 December 2019 |date=4 June 2019 |archive-date=31 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231155018/https://media.group.renault.com/global/en-gb/groupe-renault/media/pressreleases/21227309/communique-du-conseil-dadministration-relatif-aux-conclusions-de-laudit-conjoint-rnbv |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Renault uncover €11mn in questionable expenses linked to ex-CEO Ghosn |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190605-france-renault-uncovers-11-million-euros-questionable-expenses-ex-ceo-ghosn |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=France24 |date=5 June 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Abellan Matamoros |first1=Cristina |title=Former Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn could face legal action in France, says finance minister |url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/05/former-renault-ceo-carlos-ghosn-could-face-legal-action-in-france-says-finance-minister |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=Euronews |date=5 June 2019}} which was followed by the French state opening its own investigation into his actions. Prosecutors in the district of Nanterre west of Paris stated that anti-fraud police had searched his residence in the town of L'Étang-la-Ville for evidence.{{cite news |title=Ex-Nissan chief Ghosn's French home searched in Versailles wedding probe |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190613-business-france-ex-nissan-chief-ghosn-home-searched-versailles-wedding-probe-renault |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=France24 |date=13 June 2019}} In July Renault's headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt were searched by 20 police personnel in relation to this case.{{cite news |last1=Keohane |first1=David |last2=Lewis |first2=Leo |title=Renault headquarters searched by police in Carlos Ghosn probe |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8e68bb18-9d7a-11e9-9c06-a4640c9feebb |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=Financial Times |date=3 July 2019}}

In August 2019, his wife Carole appealed to President Emmanuel Macron of France to intercede on behalf of her husband with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe at the 45th G7 summit held from 24 to 26 August{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/24/biarritz-lockdown-g7-summit-descends-french-resort|title=Biarritz in lockdown as G7 summit descends on French resort|last=Chrisafis|first=Angelique|date=24 August 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=25 August 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|url=https://japantoday.com/category/crime/macron-expected-to-raise-carlos-ghosn-case-with-japan%27s-abe|title=Macron expected to raise Carlos Ghosn case with Abe at G7|website=Japan Today|language=en|access-date=25 August 2019}} at the French town of Biarritz.

In September 2019, in one of the first legal accords of the saga, Ghosn settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over claims of failing to disclose more than $140 million in pay to him from Nissan. He was fined $1 million while Nissan was fined $15 million and Greg Kelly $100,000. Although he neither admitted nor denied the SEC's charges, he accepted a ten-year ban from serving as an officer or director of a public company. Kelly accepted a five-year ban under similar terms.{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Matt |last2=Dawson |first2=Chester |title=Nissan, Ghosn Fined Over Claims They Hid $140 Million in Pay |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-23/sec-accuses-ex-nissan-chairman-ghosn-of-misleading-investors |access-date=31 December 2019 |publisher=Bloomberg |date=23 September 2019}} According to The New York Times, the settlement all but ended Ghosn's career as a global business executive.

=Flight from Japan=

On 30 December 2019, numerous media outlets reported that Ghosn had escaped from Japan and arrived in Beirut, Lebanon.{{cite web |author= |date=31 December 2019 |title=Nissan's ex-head Carlos Ghosn flees Japan to Lebanon |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50952335 |access-date=31 December 2019 |website= |publisher=BBC News}}{{cite web |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/automobile/carlos-ghosn-a-quitte-le-japon-pour-beyrouth-1159576|title=Assigné à résidence à Tokyo, Carlos Ghosn a quitté le Japon pour Beyrouth|author= |date=30 December 2019|website=lesechos.fr|publisher=Les Echos|access-date=31 December 2019|language=fr}} Ghosn later confirmed these reports through a statement released by his press representative in New York.{{Cite web |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191231/p2g/00m/0dm/054000c |title=Full text of Carlos Ghosn's statement issued through representative - the Mainichi |access-date=12 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226012207/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191231/p2g/00m/0dm/054000c |archive-date=26 February 2020 |url-status=dead }} In his statement, Ghosn claimed that he would "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant and basic human rights are denied."

Ghosn left his Tokyo apartment at around 14:30 on 29 December 2019 and joined two men at a nearby hotel.[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-509640406]{{dead link|date=June 2021}} The three then took a bullet train from Shinagawa to Osaka and arrived at a hotel near Kansai International Airport just after 20:00. The team hired to extract him from Tokyo had noticed that Japanese security did not follow Ghosn into hotels, which facilitated his escape.{{cite news|newspaper=Bloomberg|author=Matthew Campbell|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-01-14/how-nissan-s-carlos-ghosn-was-smuggled-out-of-japan|date=14 January 2020|title=The Tokyo Job: Inside Carlos Ghosn's Escape to Beirut}} A few hours later, two men left the hotel carrying large containers, including an audio equipment box where Ghosn was hidden.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/carlos-ghosn-sneaked-out-of-japan-in-box-used-for-audio-gear-11578077647|title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} Carlos Ghosn Sneaked Out of Japan in Box Used for Audio Gear|last1=Gauthier-Villars|first1=david|last2=Maremont|first2=Mark|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=3 January 2020|language=en-US|access-date=5 January 2020}} The men then boarded a Bombardier Global Express private jet with Turkish registration TC-TSR. The large box carrying Ghosn was never x-rayed or checked by customs officials, because it was too big to fit inside the x-ray machine; the plane left Kansai Airport at 23:10, landing at Istanbul Atatürk Airport at 5:26 on the morning of 30 December 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/carlos-ghosn-walked-out-of-his-home-alone-security-camera-footage-shows/2020/01/03/1ddfff2c-2e0d-11ea-bffe-020c88b3f120_story.html|title=Carlos Ghosn walked out of his home alone, security camera footage shows|last1=Denyer |first1=Simon|last2=Kashiwagi|first2=Akiko|date=3 January 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=3 January 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://flightaware.com/live/flight/TCTSR/history/20191229/1416Z/RJBB/LTBA |title=TC-TSR Live Flight Tracking and History (Owner: Unknown Owner) ✈ 29-Dec-2019 ✈ KIX / RJBB – ISL / LTBA|website=flightaware.com|access-date=3 January 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200104_01/ |title=Data suggests Ghosn's possible flight route |author= |date=4 January 2020 |website=nhk3.or.jp |publisher=NHK World-Japan |access-date=3 January 2020 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103202901/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200104_01/ |url-status=dead }} Within an hour of the plane's landing, a separate private jet left for Beirut. An employee at Turkish private jet operator MNG Jet admitted to falsifying passenger records, in which two separate planes were leased, one from Dubai to Osaka and then Osaka to Istanbul, the other from Istanbul to Beirut.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/03/business/carlos-ghosn-escape-jet/index.html|title=Turkish private jet company says rogue employee helped Carlos Ghosn flee Japan|website=CNN|date=3 January 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-03/ghosn-s-escape-jet-from-japan-used-illegally-operator-mng-says|title=Ghosn's Escape Jet From Japan Used Illegally, Operator Says|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=3 January 2019}}

The Lebanese Ambassador to Japan, Nidal Yehya, denied the involvement of the Embassy of Lebanon in Ghosn's escape, but "always stressed to him that he must abide by all the conditions of his release, as decided by the Criminal Court in Tokyo".{{Cite web|title=Exclusive: Lebanon's Ambassador to Japan denies his embassy helped Carlos Ghosn escape|url=https://www.arabnews.jp/en/japan/article_7929/,%20https://www.arabnews.jp/en/japan/article_7929/|access-date=2021-11-09|website=www.arabnews.jp|language=ja}}

=Residence in Lebanon=

Following Ghosn's arrival in Lebanon, a Tokyo court granted a request by Japanese prosecutors to revoke his bail.{{cite news|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191231/p2g/00m/0na/073000c|title=Tokyo court grants prosecutors' request to revoke Ghosn's bail|date=31 December 2019|newspaper=Mainichi Daily News|access-date=31 December 2019|publisher=The Mainichi|archive-date=26 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226183952/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191231/p2g/00m/0na/073000c|url-status=dead}} While Japan and Lebanon are both members of Interpol and have had diplomatic relations since 1954,{{cite web |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/middle_e/lebanon/data.html|title=Japan-Lebanon Relations (Basic Data)|website=mofa.go.jp|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|access-date=31 December 2019}} there is no extradition agreement between the two countries. Interpol has issued a red notice for his arrest.{{cite web |author= |date=2 January 2020 |title=Carlos Ghosn: Interpol issues 'red notice' for Nissan ex-boss's arrest |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50972149 |access-date=2 January 2020 |publisher=BBC News}} Japanese authorities raided Ghosn's Tokyo apartment on 2 January 2020 looking for evidence.{{Cite web |title=Interpol issues wanted notice to Lebanon for ex-Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nissan-ex-chair-ghosns-tokyo-home-searched-amid-flight-investigation/ |access-date=3 January 2020 |website= |date=2 January 2020 |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/news/ntv20200102001/prosecutors-search-ghosn%E2%80%99s-tokyo-residence.html|title=Prosecutors Search Ghosn's Tokyo Residence|date=2 January 2020|website=nippon.com|language=en|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727074215/https://www.nippon.com/en/news/ntv20200102001/prosecutors-search-ghosn%E2%80%99s-tokyo-residence.html|url-status=dead}}

Ghosn later addressed reports that his family, including his wife Carole, may have played a role in his departure from Japan, stating that "such speculation is inaccurate and false."{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/12/31/ex-nissan-chief-carlos-ghosn-flees-japan-for-lebanon-to-avoid-injustice|title='I escaped alone': Carlos Ghosn clears family of helping Japan escape|date=31 December 2019|website=euronews}} On 7 January 2020, prosecutors in Japan issued an arrest warrant for Carole Ghosn on suspicion of giving false testimony during a court hearing in April 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/07/business/carole-ghosn-arrest-warrant/index.html|title=Japan issues arrest warrant for Carole Ghosn. A friend calls it intimidation|first=Sherisse|last=Pham|website=CNN|date=7 January 2020}}

Carlos Ghosn held his first press conference since leaving Japan on 8 January 2020, in which he described his imprisonment conditions, pleaded innocence, and named Nissan executives who plotted his demise.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2020/jan/08/gold-oil-as-us-iran-markets-carlos-ghosn-nissan-escape-business-live|title=Carlos Ghosn insists he is innocent over fraud charge 'plot' – business live|first=Graeme|last=Wearden|newspaper=The Guardian|date=8 January 2020|via=www.theguardian.com}} He claimed that when he left Japan, "I fled injustice and political persecution."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/business/carlos-ghosn-interview.html|title=Carlos Ghosn defends his legacy|author1=Ben Dooley|author2=Michael Corkery|work=The New York Times|date=January 9, 2020}} The next day, Judge Ghassan Ouiedat, a Lebanese prosecutor, imposed a travel ban on Ghosn.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nissan-ghosn-lebanon-questioning/lebanon-imposes-travel-ban-on-ex-nissan-boss-ghosn-judicial-source-idUSKBN1Z80ZC|title=Ghosn 'very comfortable' after Lebanon questioning: lawyer|website=Reuters|date=9 January 2020}} After he escaped from Japan, Carlos Ghosn's Japanese lawyer and seven other members of his defense resigned. His lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, said his escape was a "complete surprise".{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/16/business/carlos-ghosn-lawyer/index.html|title=Carlos Ghosn's Japanese lawyer and seven other members of defense team quit|website=CNN|date=16 January 2020}}

On 10 February 2020, Ghosn hired former Disney president Michael Ovitz, co-founder of the Creative Artists Agency, as his Hollywood agent.{{cite news|publisher=Bloomberg News|author1=Lucas Shaw|author2=Ania Nussbaum|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-10/ghosn-hires-legendary-agent-michael-ovitz-for-tv-film-deals|date=10 February 2020|title=Ghosn Hires Legendary Agent Michael Ovitz for TV, Film Deals|access-date=14 February 2020}} On 12 February 2020, Nissan launched a $90 million lawsuit against Ghosn for alleged "corrupt" actions,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/12/nissan-launches-lawsuit-against-former-chairman-carlos-ghosn|title=Nissan launches $90m lawsuit against former chairman Carlos Ghosn|work=The Guardian|date=12 February 2020|access-date=14 February 2020}} and on 29 February 2020, Japan's financial regulators fined Nissan 2.42 billion yen ($22 million) for underreporting remuneration of former Chairman Ghosn and other executives for years.{{cite news |title=Nissan slapped with ¥2.4 billion fine over Ghosn compensation scandal |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/29/business/corporate-business/nissan-fine-carlos-ghosn/ |access-date=3 March 2020 |work=The Japan Times |date=29 February 2020}} On 8 July 2020, The Nikkei reported that $862,500 was paid from a Paris bank account related to Ghosn to Promote Fox, a company managed by Michael Taylor, an ex-Green Beret who helped him flee to Lebanon.{{cite web |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Society/Ghosn-wired-860-000-to-alleged-escape-helper-say-prosecutors |title=Ghosn wired $860,000 to alleged escape helper, say prosecutors |website=Nikkei Asian Review |date=8 July 2020 }}

Ghosn's house in Lebanon sustained damage following the August 2020 Beirut explosion, which occurred 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from the residence.{{cite web | title=Ghosn's house damaged in Beirut explosion | website=Arab News | date=5 August 2020 | url=https://www.arabnews.jp/en/middle-east/article_23356/ | access-date=10 October 2020}}

On 3 November 2020, Lebanon's prosecutor general decided not to charge Ghosn for visiting Israel in 2008 because the statute of limitations had expired.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-03|title=Lebanon decides not to charge Ghosn over Israel trip|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201103-lebanon-decides-not-to-charge-ghosn-over-israel-trip|access-date=2020-11-04|website=France 24|language=en}} Previously, some Lebanese lawyers wanted Ghosn prosecuted over his 2008 trip to Israel as the chairman of Renault-Nissan to meet Better Place founder Shai Agassi, which they claim violated the Arab League boycott of Israel.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanese-lawyers-want-ex-chief-of-nissan-prosecuted-over-2008-israel-trip/|title=Lebanese lawyers want ex-chief of Nissan prosecuted over 2008 Israel trip|website=The Times of Israel|date=2 January 2020}} Also in the same month Nissan fired its global general counsel Ravinder Passi, who claimed to have whistle-blown improper handling of the Ghosn case inside Nissan.{{cite news |last1=Leggett |first1=Theo |date=4 August 2021 |title=The downfall of Nissan's Carlos Ghosn: An insider's view |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58070929 |access-date=1 May 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Vanapalli |first1=Viswa |title=Where is Ex-Nissan General Counsel Ravinder Passi Now? |url=https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-ex-nissan-general-counsel-ravinder-passi-now/ |access-date=1 May 2023 |work=The Cinemaholic |date=26 October 2022}}

On 23 November 2020, a panel of human rights experts working with the United Nations concluded that Ghosn's arrest and detention in Japan were "fundamentally unfair". The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also stated that the Japanese government should give Ghosn "compensation" and "other reparations" due to the arrest and detention conditions in November 2018.{{Cite web|title=U.N. says Carlos Ghosn's arrest was human rights violation|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/u-n-says-former-nissan-head-carlos-ghosn-owed-compensation-n1248623|access-date=2020-11-24|website=NBC News|date=23 November 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/11/23/un-panel-says-japan-wrongly-arrested-detained-carlos-ghosn |title=Ghosn: UN panel says Japan violated rights of former Nissan chief |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=23 November 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201228-ghosn-case-haunts-japan-a-year-after-shock-escape|title=Ghosn case haunts Japan a year after shock escape|date=28 December 2020|author=|publisher=France 24|accessdate=}} Despite the fact that the Nelson Mandela Rules set a 15-day limit on how long prisoners can be kept in isolation, Kelly was held in solitary confinement for 37 days before he was granted bail, and Ghosn for 108 days. The Taylors were in solitary confinement for more than 100 days each. "The Carlos Ghosn case, including Greg Kelly and the Taylors, is an aberration," said William Cleary, an expert on Japanese law with a doctorate in criminal procedure.

{{Cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/2021/12/disclosures-show-nissan-kelly-charges-are-fabricated/|title=Disclosures show Nissan Kelly charges are fabricated|date=27 December 2021 |author=Roger Schreffler|publisher=Asia Times |accessdate=}}

In December 2020, it was reported that French investigators would meet with Ghosn in January 2021 as part of a separate investigation of expenses covered by a Dutch subsidiary of Renault and Nissan.{{Cite news|date=2020-12-24|title=French Investigators to Meet Carlos Ghosn in Beirut on Jan. 18|language=en|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-24/french-investigators-to-meet-carlos-ghosn-in-beirut-on-jan-18|access-date=2021-01-06}} Ghosn is under two investigations in France, one that is focused on suspicious transactions between Renault and a distributor in Oman, as well as another investigation into alleged illegal payments for private trips and events paid by Renault-Nissan's Netherlands-based holding company, RNBV. In a January 2021 interview, Ghosn questioned why France was questioning him over the charges, while Japan did not, and denied the charges.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-04|title=Carlos Ghosn asks why Japanese don't question him in Lebanon|url=https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-financial-markets-japan-beirut-carlos-ghosn-6a4e8107a44f3128ab01b1815a3bb09c|access-date=2021-01-06|website=AP NEWS}}

In February 2024, four senior Nissan workers were charged with stealing documents, files, and electronic devices from Ghosn's Beirut home and office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/beirut-judge-charges-nissan-employees-for-stealing-ghosn-documents

|title=Beirut judge charges Nissan employees for 'stealing' Ghosn documents

|date=17 February 2024

|author=AFP

|publisher=The Straits Times}}

=Prosecution and conviction of facilitators of his escape from Japan=

Arrest warrants issued by Japanese prosecutors on 30 January 2020 claimed that the escape operation was orchestrated by former United States Army Special Forces soldier Michael Taylor, a private-security contractor with extensive contacts in Lebanon. The warrants also claimed that Taylor was assisted by his son Peter Maxwell Taylor and a third American, George Antoine Zayek.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/business/carlos-ghosn-arrest-warrants.html|title=Japan Seeks Arrests of 3 Americans Accused of Helping Ghosn Escape |work=The New York Times |date=30 January 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/30/business/carlos-ghosn-collaborators-wanted/index.html|title=Wanted: 3 men accused of helping Carlos Ghosn escape Japan in a case|website=CNN|date=30 January 2020}} Michael Taylor had conducted similar international rescue operations in the past.{{cite web|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-ghosns-escape-an-ex-green-beret-with-a-beef-about-his-own-time-in-jail-11579323661 |title=Behind Ghosn's escape, an-Ex Green Beret With a Beef About His Own Time in Jail – WSJ|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=18 January 2020}}

On 8 May, Turkey charged seven people accused of helping Ghosn flee to Lebanon via Istanbul.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52589319|title=Carlos Ghosn: Turkey charges seven over escape from Japan|publisher=BBC News|date=8 May 2020}} On 20 May, United States authorities arrested Michael and Peter Taylor on suspicion of helping Ghosn escape.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52744435|title=Carlos Ghosn: US ex-Green Beret and son arrested over escape from Japan|publisher=BBC News|date=20 May 2020}} On 30 October 2020, the US agreed to extradite the Taylors to Japan.{{cite web |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/10/61f208f453e2-update3-us-oks-japan-request-to-extradite-men-for-aiding-ghosns-escape.html|title=U.S. OKs Japan request to extradite men for aiding Ghosn's escape |date=30 October 2020 |work=Kyodo News+ |access-date=14 July 2020}}

In June 2021, Michael Taylor and his son Peter, pleaded guilty in Tokyo to helping Ghosn escape from Japan in December 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/american-father-son-admit-tokyo-court-they-helped-carlos-ghosn-flee-japan-2021-06-14/ |title=American duo plead guilty to helping former Nissan chief Ghosn flee Japan |publisher=Reuters |date=14 June 2021}} The Taylors later expressed their regret and apologized to the Japanese.{{cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/cc674ce2-844b-444f-b568-efedd2497983 |title=American father and son apologise to Japan for helping Carlos Ghosn escape |website=Financial Times |url-access=subscription |date=29 June 2021}} In addition, it was revealed that Ghosn paid the Taylors more than $1 million for their services, in the form of bank transfers and bitcoin payments.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/06/29/1011246349/2-americans-have-apologized-to-a-tokyo-court-for-their-role-in-carlos-ghosns-esc |title=2 Americans Have Apologized To A Tokyo Court For Their Role In Carlos Ghosn's Escape |website=National Public Radio |date=29 June 2021 }}

In July 2021, the Taylors were convicted and sentenced in Japan for aiding Ghosn. Michael was sentenced to two years' imprisonment while his son received a sentence of 20 months.{{cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/japan-court-jails-us-duo-over-ghosn-escape/a-58311408 |title=Japan court jails US duo over Ghosn escape |website=DW |date=19 July 2021 }} In October 2022, the two were transferred to the United States by the Federal Bureau of Prisons after the two governments agreed to allow the Taylors to serve out the remainder of their sentences in the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/05/national/crime-legal/americans-helped-carlos-ghosn-freed/ |title=Americans who helped Carlos Ghosn escape Japan are sent back to U.S.|website=JT |date=5 Nov 2022}}

=Further prosecutions=

In April 2022, France issued an international warrant for Ghosn's arrest, in addition to four other individuals who administrated the Omani company Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, in which the latter had allegedly helped Ghosn to funnel millions of dollars of Renault funds through them for his personal use, including the purchase of a {{convert|120|ft|adj=on}} yacht.{{cite web |author=Nick Kostov |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/france-issues-international-arrest-warrant-for-carlos-ghosn-11650578738 |title=France Issues International Arrest Warrant for Carlos Ghosn |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=21 April 2022 }}{{Cite web |last=agencies |first=Guardian staff and |date=2022-04-22 |title=France issues international arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/22/france-issues-international-arrest-warrant-for-carlos-ghosn |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Simon Bouvier, Xiaofei Xu, Chris Liakos and Anna Cooban |title=France issues an international arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/22/business/carlos-ghosn-french-arrest-warrant/index.html |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=CNN|date=22 April 2022 }} Ghosn said the timing of this warrant was "suspicious" and later mentioned that he wanted to stand trial on charges of financial wrongdoing to clear his name.{{Cite web |last=Gilchrist |first=Karen |date=2022-04-22 |title=Carlos Ghosn says he would face fair trial in France, suggests timing of arrest warrant 'suspicious' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/22/carlos-ghosn-says-he-expects-fair-trial-in-france-following-arrest-warrant.html |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=CNBC |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61185304 |title=Carlos Ghosn: Ex-Nissan boss says he wants a trial |website=BBC |date=23 April 2022 }}

In October 2023, a Lebanese court ruled that Ghosn and his wife must vacate his residence, valued at $19 million, in Achrafieh, Beirut within a month. The decision was taken four years after Phoinos Investment accused him of "violation of private property" and residing there without legal basis. Ghosn appealed the verdict, claiming that the company was affiliated with Nissan, and that the property was purchased according to a signed agreement with the latter which granted him the right to live there.{{cite web |url=https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1355158/judge-evicts-carlos-ghosn-from-his-residence-in-achrafieh.html |title=Judge evicts Carlos Ghosn from his residence in Achrafieh |website=L'Orient-Le Jour |date=28 October 2023 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.the961.com/carlos-ghosn-was-ordered-out-of-his-beirut-home/ |title=Carlos Ghosn Was Just Ordered Out Of His Beirut Home |website=the961.com |date=29 October 2023 }} The eviction order was halted until the lawsuit with Phoinos is concluded in December 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1361816/lebanese-court-halts-ghosn-eviction-from-achrafieh-home.html|title=Lebanese court halts Ghosn eviction from Achrafieh home|date=21 December 2023|website=L'Orient Today}}

Personal life

File:Carlos Ghosn - Mondial de l'Automobile de Paris 2014 - 001.jpg ]]

Ghosn's first marriage was to Rita Kordahi, who came originally from Rayfoun, Lebanon, and whom he met in France in 1984. Together they had four children: Caroline, Nadine, Maya and Anthony. They divorced in 2012. In May 2016, Ghosn married Lebanese-American Carole Nahas,{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/carlos-ghosn-interview-the-nissan-bosss-great-escape-from-japan-8lswz2pg5 |title=Carlos Ghosn interview: the Nissan boss's great escape from Japan |work=The Times |date=13 March 2020 }} and a few months later in October, threw a large party at the Grand Trianon of the Palace of Versailles, in the outskirts of Paris, to celebrate both the wedding and Carole's 50th birthday.{{cite news|title= The flight of a car-industry megastar shocks Japan|url= https://www.economist.com/asia/2020/01/02/the-flight-of-a-car-industry-megastar-shocks-japan|newspaper=The Economist|date=2 January 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/the-scene/weddings/a9634/versailles-wedding/|first=Leena |last=Kim |title=Carole and Carlos Ghosn Threw a Wedding Fit For a King and Queen|website=Town & Country|date=3 March 2017}} He is reported by several Japanese media to have six private residences: in Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, Beirut, and New York.Dumaine, Brian. [http://fortune.com/2014/12/29/renault-nissan-carlos-ghosn/ "Renault–Nissan: Can anyone succeed Carlos Ghosn?"]. Fortune. 29 December 2014.{{Cite web|date=2018-11-22|title=Ghosn Got Six Houses From Nissan, Including in Tokyo and New York|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-22/ghosn-got-six-houses-from-nissan-including-in-tokyo-new-york|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Bloomberg}}

Ghosn, whom Forbes magazine called "the hardest-working man in the brutally competitive global car business", as of 2006 was splitting his time between Paris and Tokyo and logging roughly {{convert|150000|nmi}} in airplanes per year. Japanese media called him "Seven-Eleven" ("work very hard from early in the morning till late at night").Nakae, Koji. [http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/32114/63201635.pdf Cultural Change: A Comparative Study of the Change Efforts of Douglas MacArthur and Carlos Ghosn in Japan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907193158/http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/32114/63201635.pdf |date=7 September 2012 }}. MIT Sloan School of Management (MBA thesis). June 2005. He holds citizenship to Lebanon, Brazil and France.[http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/12/revealed.ghosn.biog "The Gaijin with two jobs"]. CNN. 7 December 2006. He has been noted for his direct, results-and-execution-oriented style in business strategy meetings, and for his interest in resolving problems from within a company by listening to workers and by cross-functional and cross-cultural team groupings.

Ghosn is multilingual, speaking four languages fluently – Arabic, English, French, and Portuguese – and he has also studied Japanese.[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/06/11/ghosn.profile/#cnnSTCText "The True Story of Carlos Ghosn"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313142827/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/06/11/ghosn.profile/#cnnSTCText |date=13 March 2016 }}. CNN. 16 June 2008. He is a partner in Ixsir, a winery in the northern coastal town of Batroun, Lebanon.Karam, Michael. [http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/retail/lebanon-reluctant-to-recognise-a-big-local-success-story "Lebanon reluctant to recognise a big local success story"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021141404/http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/retail/lebanon-reluctant-to-recognise-a-big-local-success-story |date=21 October 2011 }}. The National. 20 October 2011. In 2012, he was named to the Honorary Board of the American Foundation of Saint George Hospital in Beirut.[http://www.stgeorgefoundation.org/18-content-about-us.html Saint George Hospital – Our Mission] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006132144/http://www.stgeorgefoundation.org/18-content-about-us.html |date=6 October 2014 }}. Saint George Hospital. StGeorgeFoundation.org. Retrieved 24 November 2014.Mosalli, Irène. [http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Liban/article/788295/Pour_sa_capacite_a_%3C%3C+faire_la_difference+%3E%3E%2C_Carlos_Ghosn_honore__par_la_Fondation_americaine_de_l%27Hopital_Saint-Georges.html "Pour sa capacité à « faire la différence », Carlos Ghosn honoré par la Fondation américaine de l'Hôpital Saint-Georges"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409123319/http://www.lorientlejour.com/category/Liban/article/788295/Pour_sa_capacite_a_%3C%3C+faire_la_difference+%3E%3E%2C_Carlos_Ghosn_honore__par_la_Fondation_americaine_de_l%27Hopital_Saint-Georges.html |date=9 April 2020 }}. L'Orient-Le Jour. 19 November 2012. In 2020, he became a coach to business leaders at USEK.{{cite web |url=http://www.businessnews.com.lb/cms/Story/StoryDetails/10805/Carlos-Ghosn-to-coach-business-leaders-at-USEK |title=Carlos Ghosn to coach business leaders at USEK |website=businessnews.com.lb |date=1 October 2020 }}

Ghosn was hailed as a potential presidential candidate in Lebanon in 2007.{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/nissan-chief-ghosn-shrugs-off-lebanon-politics-career-105054099.html |title=Nissan chief Ghosn shrugs off Lebanon politics career |work= Agence France-Presse |date=17 July 2014 |access-date=14 July 2021}} In a June 2011 survey by life-insurance company Axa, Ghosn was ranked No. 7 in a random poll asking Japanese people, "Which celebrity do you want to run Japan?" (Barack Obama was No. 9, and Prime Minister Naoto Kan was No. 19.)[http://www.47news.jp/CN/201106/CN2011062701000925.html "Japan chooses Kitano Takeshi in Axa Life Survey"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028134447/http://www.47news.jp/CN/201106/CN2011062701000925.html |date=28 October 2012 }}. Kyodo News. 47news.jp. 27 June 2011.Schmitt, Bertel. [http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/07/with-carlos-ghosn-down-by-the-waterfront/ "With Carlos Ghosn Down By The Waterfront"]. TheTruthAboutCars.com. 16 July 2011.[http://www2.axa.co.jp/info/news/2011/pdf/110627.pdf "Survey after the earthquake": 10,000-person survey]. (Japanese) Axa Life. axa.co.jp. 27 June 2011. p. 9. He has so far declined such overtures, saying he has "no political ambitions".{{cite web|url=http://www.forwardsyria.com/story/337/Man%20behind%20the%20wheel |title=Man behind the wheel |first=Sami |last=Moubayed |quote=some Beiruti newspapers mentioned your name as a possible candidate for the Lebanese presidency in 2007. |publisher=Forward Syria |date=1 July 2009 |access-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711021234/http://www.forwardsyria.com/story/337/Man%20behind%20the%20wheel |archive-date=11 July 2011}}

Ghosn's lawyers have stated he has chronic kidney disease which they claim was worsened by his lack of access to proper treatment while imprisoned.{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Tim|title=Exclusive: Ghosn, suffering from kidney failure, was arrested illegally – defense document|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-nissan-ghosn-documents-exclusive/exclusive-ghosn-suffering-from-kidney-failure-was-arrested-illegally-defence-document-idUKKCN1RN0TG|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411085241/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-nissan-ghosn-documents-exclusive/exclusive-ghosn-suffering-from-kidney-failure-was-arrested-illegally-defence-document-idUKKCN1RN0TG|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2019|publisher=Reuters|date=11 April 2019|access-date=11 April 2019}}

=In the media=

File:Carlos Ghosn (15766546977).jpg

Beginning in November 2001, Ghosn's life story was turned into a superhero comic book series in Japan, titled The True Story of Carlos Ghosn, in the manga comic book Big Comic Superior.Zaun, Todd. {{cite web |title=Nissan's Carlos Ghosn Becomes Unlikely Star of Japanese Comic |url=http://www.tomcoyner.com/nissan_ghosn_star_of_japanese_comic.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=16 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228234014/http://www.tomcoyner.com/nissan_ghosn_star_of_japanese_comic.htm |archive-date=28 December 2007}} The Wall Street Journal, 27 December 2001. The series was published as a book in 2002.[http://bc-superior.net/history/034/index.html "Winding up 2002"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214184648/http://bc-superior.net/history/034/index.html |date=14 February 2008}}. Big Comic Superior Newsletter. 18 January 2003. His face has been reproduced both in Lebanese postage stamps and in bento boxes in Japanese restaurants.{{cite web |last1=Kollewe |first1=Julia |last2=Jolly |first2=Jasper |title=Who is Carlos Ghosn? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/dec/31/who-is-carlos-ghosn |website=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |access-date=25 January 2020 |date=31 December 2019}}

Ghosn is the subject of a number of books in English, Japanese, and French. In English, he wrote a bestselling business book called Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival.Ghosn, Carlos. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385512910 Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival]. Crown Business, 2006. He was the subject of another business book called Turnaround: How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan by David Magee.Magee, David. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/006051485X Turnaround: How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan]. HarperBusiness, 2003. He also provided strategic business commentary and on-the-job lessons to aspiring managers in a book called The Ghosn Factor: 24 Inspiring Lessons From Carlos Ghosn, the Most Successful Transnational CEO by Miguel Rivas-Micoud.Rivas-Micoud, Miguel.[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071485953 The Ghosn Factor: 24 Lessons the World's Most Dynamic CEO]. McGraw-Hill, 2006.

Netflix in 2022 released a documentary titled Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn, which chronicles Ghosn's rise, as well as the internal rivalries and tensions he sparked within Nissan-Renault, and his dramatic arrest.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Apple TV+ released a documentary titled Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn, in 2023.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Awards and recognition

As a result of his achievements, Ghosn has had numerous awards and honors bestowed upon him. Some of these include:

  • In 2001, he topped TIME magazine's list of Global Influentials, beating Bill Gates and several other globally renowned businessmen.{{Cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993621_1994046_1993627,00.html|title=Global Influentials 2001|last=Staff|first=Time|date=3 December 2001|magazine=Time|access-date=10 August 2019|language=en-US|issn=0040-781X}}
  • In 2001, he was named Father of the Year by a Japanese community group.{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/12/revealed.ghosn.biog/|title=The Gaijin with two jobs - CNN.com|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=10 August 2019|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007110551/http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/12/revealed.ghosn.biog/|url-status=dead}}
  • In 2002, he was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French government.{{cite news|url=http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/societe/20020331.OBS4450/la-promotion-de-paques.html|title=La promotion de Pâques|publisher=Le NouvelObs|date=2 April 2002|access-date=10 May 2017}}
  • In 2002 Fortune awarded him Asia Businessman of the Year.Taylor III, Alex. [https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2002/02/18/318166/index.htm "Awards"]. Fortune. 18 February 2002.[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Ghosn+forecasts+record+Nissan+profit+for+FY+2001.-a084261095 "Ghosn forecasts record Nissan profit for FY 2001"]. Kyodo News International. 25 February 2002.
  • In 2003, he was named Man of the Year by Fortune magazine's Asian edition.Ali, Arif. [http://www.arabnews.com/node/268045 "Nissan Opens Largest Showroom in Oman"]. Arab News. 5 June 2005.
  • In 2003 Fortune listed him as one of the 10 most powerful business leaders outside the U.S.Loomis, Carol J. [http://fortune.com/2012/11/21/the-25-most-powerful-people-in-business/ "The 25 most powerful people in business"]. Fortune. 11 August 2003.
  • In 2004, he became the first foreign business leader to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon Medal from Emperor Akihito of Japan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/30/business/carlos-ghosn-nissan.html|title=The Rise and Fall of Carlos Ghosn|last1=Chozick|first1=Amy|date=30 December 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=10 August 2019|last2=Rich|first2=Motoko|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
  • In 2004, he was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame.[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Nissan's+Ghosn+to+be+registered+in+Automotive+Hall+of+Fame.-a0123861497 "Nissan's Ghosn to be registered in Automotive Hall of Fame"]. Kyodo News International. 28 October 2004.
  • In 2004, he was also added to the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=http://www.jahfa.jp/jahfa4/pala/person4.htm |title=カルロス・ゴーン(Carlos Ghosn)氏 略歴 |publisher=Japan Automobile Hall of Fame |access-date=3 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031315/http://www.jahfa.jp/jahfa4/pala/person4.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}
  • In 2006, Ghosn was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170412231756/http://uk.reuters.com/article/autos-ghosn-knight-idUKNOA42749020061024 "Car maker turnaround king Ghosn now a knight"]. Reuters. 24 October 2006.
  • In 2010, CEO Quarterly magazine listed Ghosn as one of the "Most Respected CEOs".[http://www.ceoqmagazine.com/mostrespectedceos/ceo_nissan_carlosghosn.htm Most Respected CEOs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823071344/http://www.ceoqmagazine.com/mostrespectedceos/ceo_nissan_carlosghosn.htm |date=23 August 2011 }}. CEO Quarterly. 2010.
  • In 2010, he was appointed as the jury member of the Takreem Award Committee between 2010 and 2018.
  • In 2011, CNBC listed Ghosn as Asia Business Leader of the Year.Bagchee, Deepanshu. [https://www.cnbc.com/2011/11/24/carlos-ghosn-named-asia-business-leader-of-the-year.html "Carlos Ghosn Named Asia Business Leader of the Year"] . CNBC. 24 November 2011.
  • In 2012, Ghosn was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, an honorific designation to civilians in recognition of services that benefit Morocco.{{Cite web|url=https://lematin.ma/journal/2012/Activite-Royale_S-M--le-Roi-preside-la-ceremonie-d-inauguration-de-l-usine-Renault-Nissan-Tanger-mobilisant-des-investissements--de-11-milliard-d-euros/162479.html|title=Le Matin – S.M. le Roi préside la cérémonie d'inauguration de l'usine Renault-Nissan Tanger, mobilisant des investissements de 1,1 milliard d'euros|first=Le|last=Matin|website=Le Matin|date=9 February 2012 }}
  • In 2012, Ghosn received the Japan Society Award.[http://www.japansociety.org/event/japan-society-2012-annual-dinner Japan Society 2012 Annual Dinner] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519225412/http://www.japansociety.org/event/japan-society-2012-annual-dinner |date=19 May 2012 }}. Japan Society. 7 June 2012.
  • In 2012, Ghosn became the first person in the auto industry, and the fourth overall, to win a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Strategic Management Society, a non-profit group that promotes ethical and strategic business stewardship.[http://blog.alliance-renault-nissan.com/content/ghosn-wins-lifetime-achievement-award-strategic-management-society "Ghosn wins 'lifetime achievement' award from Strategic Management Society"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019173541/http://blog.alliance-renault-nissan.com/content/ghosn-wins-lifetime-achievement-award-strategic-management-society |date=19 October 2012 }}. Renault–Nissan Alliance. 8 October 2012.
  • In 2012, Ghosn was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, an honorific designation to civilians in recognition of services that benefit Spain.[https://www.alliance-2022.com/blog/ghosn-royal-appointment/ Ghosn: by royal appointment"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717012934/https://www.alliance-2022.com/blog/ghosn-royal-appointment/ |date=17 July 2018 }}. Renault–Nissan Alliance. 29 October 2012.
  • In 2013, he was appointed an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.[http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows?fa=g List of Fellows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326135925/http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows?fa=g |date=26 March 2016 }}. Royal Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  • In 2017, Lebanon's national post office, LibanPost, unveiled a collectable stamp honoring Carlos Ghosn.{{Cite web|url=https://executive-bulletin.com/other/a-collectable-stamp-honoring-carlos-ghosn-unveiled|title=A collectable stamp honoring Carlos Ghosn unveiled|date=29 August 2017|language=en-US|access-date=10 August 2019}}

Bibliography

{{refbegin}}

=Books=

  • {{Cite book |last=Ghosn |first=Carlos |title=Renaissance |publisher=Diamond |year=2001 |location=Tokyo |translator-last=Nakagawa |translator-first=Haruko}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Ghosn |first1=Carlos |author-mask=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yuaAHAAACAAJ |title=Citoyen du monde |last2=Riès |first2=Philippe |date=2003 |publisher=Grasset |isbn=978-2-246-63091-3 |language=fr}}
  • {{cite book |last=Ghosn |first=Carlos |author-mask=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RZ-RuS9VNSgC |title=SHIFT: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |year=2007 |isbn=9780307423818 }}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Ghosn |first1=Carlos |author-mask=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r2r2zQEACAAJ |title=Le temps de la vérité |last2=Riès |first2=Philippe |date=2020 |publisher=Bernard Grasset |isbn=978-2-246-82417-6 |language=fr}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Ghosn |first1=Carlos |author-mask=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FZxJzgEACAAJ |title=Broken Alliances: Inside the Rise and Fall of a Global Automotive Empire |last2=Riès |first2=Philippe |date=2021 |publisher=Tanooki Press |isbn=978-1-954306-00-4 |language=en}}
  • {{Cite book |last1=Ghosn |first1=Carlos |author-mask=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jj8gEAAAQBAJ |title=Ensemble, toujours |last2=Ghosn |first2=Carole |date=2021-03-03 |publisher=Humensis |isbn=979-10-329-1652-0 |language=fr}}

=Articles=

  • {{Cite magazine |last=Ghosn |first=Carlos |date=2002-01-01 |title=Saving the Business Without Losing the Company |magazine=Harvard Business Review |url=https://hbr.org/2002/01/saving-the-business-without-losing-the-company |access-date=2023-01-14 |issn=0017-8012}}

{{refend}}

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite web|url=https://www.asahi.com/special/carlosghosn/en/|title=Light and Darkness brought by Carlos Ghosn|work=The Asahi Shimbun|date=7 December 2018|translator-last=Akagawa |translator-first=Roy K. }} Japanese version: "[https://www.asahi.com/special/carlosghosn/ カルロス・ゴーン もたらした光と影]".