Nissan has announced leadership changes in its AMIEO region (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania), in support of the Re:Nissan recovery plan. Effective October 1, 2025, Massimiliano (Max) Messina has been appointed Chairperson of the Nissan AMIEO region, taking charge of operations across three continents, 140 countries, five plants, 13,000 employees and 26 models on sale.
Messina, 54, currently Vice Chairperson and Senior Vice President, Chief Finance, Administration and Strategy, Nissan AMIEO, joined Nissan in 2022 with experience in global and international roles across automotive, retail and industrial manufacturing within finance and operations. His appointment will ensure continuity in the region, alignment with global objectives and maintain partnerships with Renault, Mitsubishi and others.
The appointment comes as Nissan prepares to bring four new electric vehicles to Europe and follows the launches of models including Patrol and Magnite in the Middle East and Africa.
The change will also allow Guillaume Cartier, Nissan Chief Performance Officer and Chairperson of the AMIEO region, to focus on his global responsibilities.
As Messina steps into his new role, Victorino (Vito) Esnaola will succeed him as Senior Vice President, Finance and IT for the AMIEO region. Esnaola, 52, currently Finance Divisional General Manager in a global role, joined Nissan in 2015 as Finance Director for NMISA (Spain), before becoming Finance Vice President for Europe in 2019 and moving to his global role in 2024. In his new position, he will report directly to Messina.
Under the Re:Nissan recovery plan, the company is targeting a return to profitability and positive free cash flow in the automotive business by fiscal 2026. Actions have already been initiated to support this goal.
Messina said, “I’m honoured to take on this responsibility at such a critical moment for Nissan. I’m proud to lead a team that is working tirelessly to both transform our company and deliver fantastic vehicles to our customers across the AMIEO region.”
Commenting on the transition, Cartier added, “Max’s leadership and operational expertise will be vital to Nissan in the highly diverse AMIEO region, as we accelerate transformation across the business. I wish both Max and Vito every success in their new roles as we streamline decision-making and boost performance, ensuring the region’s alignment with the global Re:Nissan plan.”
