Infiniti Appoints A New Vice President For Europe and The Middle East

Infiniti has announced that the new Vice President for Infiniti Europe and Middle Easy will be Bernard Loire, who will be based in Rolle, Switzerland from August 2011.

Currently, Bernard is Vice President Sales Operations, Nissan Europe, and will replace Jim Wright, who is appointed as Managing Director, Nissan Motor GB, and will be reporting to Gilles Normand, Corporate Vice President in charge of Africa, Middle East and India.

Bernard's automotive career started in 1988, with Ford France, where he was appointed as Fleet Sales Director within 11 years. In 2000, he then moved to Fiat Auto SPA and was responsible for the C-Segment in Central Marketing. He then joined Nissan two years later as Market Manager Sales Operations for seven markets.

In January 2005 he became Brand Director in Portugal and set up a new company for Nissan. He then moved him back to France as Shift-Europe Project Director, piloting the new business model for Nissan Europe across 20 markets. In March 2008, he was then promoted to Managing Director Nissan Italy where he developed a three-year Market share Improvement Plan. September 2009, he was appointed Vice President Sales Operations for Nissan in Europe, covering 44 markets.

Bernard says: "Jim successfully led the launch of Infiniti across 19 European markets, now it is my job to grow the brand. We have ambitions plans to more than double our network over the next few years in readiness for a raft of new product, not least a zero emissions vehicle plus an entrant in the luxury C-segment, and to maximize our sponsorship of Red Bull Racing. As a car guy, I can't help but be excited by joining a brand that's so synonymous with performance."

Jim comments: "Launching Infiniti in one of the toughest luxury car markets in the world has been a phenomenal journey. I'm grateful for the support of the strong team that Bernard will inherit, at Infiniti and across our network of business Partners within Europe and the Middle East."

Bernard’s successor within Nissan Europe will be announced in due course.