Presumably, Christian Meunier speaks Canadian – French and English-like, and Manuel De La Guardia speaks Portuguese.
Nissan today announced that Allen Childs will retire as president, Nissan Canada, following two decades with the company. He will be replaced by Christian Meunier, currently president of Brazil, who will become president of Nissan’s third largest market in the Americas. Both changes are effective 1 January 2013.
Childs’ career included positions in regional operations, dealer operations, parts & service and marketing. In 2002, he became vice president, Canada sales before returning to North America (NNA) in 2006 as vice president, parts and service. Named president of Nissan Canada in 2010, Childs led team trying to improve performance of the dealer network and to increase market share.
Meunier joined Nissan Europe in 2002 as general manager, sales & fleet and has held a variety of positions including vice president, sales in Europe and vice president, marketing at NNA where he established a strategy for interactive marketing and a model-line marketing process. In his current role, he has overseen an expansion of Nissan’s dealer network in Brazil; as it became Brazil’s fastest-growing brand last year from a small base.
Manuel De La Guardia, currently managing director, Nissan Iberia, will become vice president, sales and marketing, Nissan Brazil, effective 1 January 2013. De La Guardia joined Nissan Iberia in 2007 as network general manager. Under his leadership, Nissan Iberia experienced continuous growth with Nissan becoming the first Asian brand within the Spanish market to reach the eighth position in the Top 10 sales. Manuel also is said to have enhanced the dealer network, improving brand presence in strategic areas, which successfully contributed to increased market share.
