PARIS — The ouster of Renault CEO Thierry Bollore last week sweeps away another remnant of the Carlos Ghosn era and perhaps moves the French automaker closer to a stronger bond with Japanese affiliate Nissan Motor Co.
Bollore's removal on Friday came just days after Nissan named a triumvirate of leaders without deep ties to Ghosn, the former chairman who was arrested in November and has been stripped of his many roles throughout the global alliance he created.
Bollore, Ghosn's handpicked successor, reportedly never developed a rapport with Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, the respected Michelin CEO brought in by Renault's board of directors and the French government to mend relations with Nissan.
Senard dodged questions about any personality clash with Bollore, saying Friday that there was "nothing personal" about the decision, but it was simply that the alliance needs a fresh start, and that required new governance.
He also denied that either the French government or Nissan had put pressure on Renault's board.
It took just three days to topple Bollore, who only learned of reports that Senard wanted him out when he landed in Paris in the predawn hours on Wednesday after meetings with Nissan in Japan.