How Carlos Ghosn Grew Nissan Back from Bankruptcy
The CEO Diary with Fexingo: Leadership Lessons, Executive Decisions, and Corner Office Stories · 2026-06-21 · 9 min
Episode notes
In 1999, Nissan was $20 billion in debt and bleeding market share. Then Carlos Ghosn arrived from Renault with a plan that cut 21,000 jobs, closed five factories, and consolidated a supply chain that had been sacred for decades. This episode of The CEO Diary traces the specific decisions Ghosn made during his first 18 months — how he broke the keiretsu supplier system, why he didn't touch R&D, and the one factory closure that nearly got him killed. We also look at where the turnaround strategy started to bend under the weight of Ghosn's own ambition, setting the stage for his dramatic downfall years later. A case study in what it takes to reverse a national champion, and the warning signs that even a successful turnaround can hide. #CarlosGhosn #Nissan #Renault #BusinessTurnaround #AutomotiveIndustry #CorporateRestructuring #Keiretsu #CostCutting #JapaneseBusiness #Leadership #CEO #TurnaroundStory #BusinessStrategy #SupplyChain #FactoryClosures #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo