Nissan UK chief to leave for US post

Nissan Motor Company (GB) managing director Bill Bosley is leaving to take up a senior marketing role in the US as part of a wider management restructure at the company.

Bosley becomes vice-president and general manager of the Nissan division at Nissan North America (NNA), with responsibility for sales and marketing. He will be replaced in the UK by Gary Frigo, who moves to Nissan GB from Nissan Europe, where he was vice-president of sales operations.

The changes have been prompted by the retirement of NNA senior vice-president of sales and marketing, Jed Connelly. Connelly has been with NNA since 1989.

Bosley was appointed managing director of Nissan GB in 2004 (MW January 29, 2004). He joined from the US, where he was vice-president of after-sales for NNA.

New Nissan GB marketing director, Justin Elias, will report to Frigo. Elias, who was appointed at the end of last year, was previously marketing director of Renault Asia Pacific. At Nissan, he replaced Paul Wilcox, who was promoted to vice-president of marketing for Nissan Europe. Wilcox had been Nissan GB marketing director since 2003 (MW October 2, 2003).

Nissan sold 86,727 cars in the UK last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, giving it a 3.6% share of the market. However, its sales were down 4% on 2004, when it sold 90,223 cars.