At the time the daily flight attention all moments

This is the main change of organization in Renault since Carlos Ghosn took control in 2005. The number one of the group will take the field to operational management. Patrick Pélata, named General Director Friday delegate, supports operations. The "officer" adjective should even quickly disappear, predicted already at Renault. A veteran of the company, Patrick Pélata was responsible for the European market since only six weeks.

The decision was officially "considered for a long time", but seems to have been accelerated by the economic and financial crisis. "In a situation that requires to be closer to the ground, this development enables a strengthening of the operational management of the company," said the group. Dictated by exceptional circumstances, the redevelopment is to formally establish the post of number two.

At the time, Patrick Pélata appears more than ever as the potential of Carlos Ghosn successor. The organizational structure of Renault had so far 5 Directors General Assistant, all attached to the CEO with full powers. Promotion of Carlos Ghosn at Polytechnique classmate, Patrick Pélata was yet a number two informal, until he was in charge of the plan, of the product and programs. By dragging on Europe, late July, his career path appeared less drawn until the surprise announcement Friday. Because now, all members of the Executive Committee of Renault it will be attached, as well as officials of the major geographic regions. Live itself will keep hand on Europe and the France, capital area which covers 60 of the total sales of the group to the diamond.

Two and a half months after amended certain objectives of the plan contract 2009, Carlos Ghosn took a step back, but is far from abdicating its powers: it will retain the medium and long term strategy, new product launches, innovation policy and technology, investment, wage policy, as well as the sponsorship plan. Moreover, his predecessor, Louis Schweitzer, remains Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Lack of visibility

Obviously, the "super-PDG" constantly on the breach, also patron of Nissan, needs time to focus on the key to restructuring folder. He had already appointed as early as 2005 a "chief operating officer," Toshiyuki Shiga, to assist in Tokyo. "In the US, it will be necessarily something", repeat since June. What precisely Hard to say at this stage. Since that he has discussed in vain for a rapprochement with GM, in the summer 2006, the U.S. market literally collapsed (see below), asking even more clearly the question of the fate of the "big three" of Detroit. "Be that Renault will become a global constructor", still insisted Carlos Ghosn end of September. At the same time he is aware that it would literally massacred on the stock market if it went to the collision of a competitor in the current context.

As all great fellow generalist, Renault badly today lack visibility. The first half was marked by soaring raw materials, oil and the price of cars. The second is rather undermined by the lack of liquidity, the "credit crunch" world and the fall in a spin of the morale of the household.

At the time, the daily flight attention all moments. "The Renault boat will pass through a snowstorm, we have prepared him, taking all the necessary ris," felt a few days ago Patrick Pélata, on the margins of the world of the automobile. Because if one extrapolates the current trend, the European market risk dive at an annual rate of 10, fears. After 6,000 current job losses plan and the decline of the productions in all plants (except in Romania in Dacia) to not inflate the stock of vehicles, the Group wishes above all to preserve its cash. All investments are currently passed review, to assess potential reports. "We are identifying what can be", said Patrick Pélata already.