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The alliance was designed by Louis Schweitzer, then chairman and CEO of
Renault, as a balanced organization where the French and Japanese felt respected
by each other. You could not ignore the national pride on both sides. And yet
neither side felt pushed around. They were both proud of their ability to bring
their skills and cultural differences to the same teams, working together to build
value. It was a unique enterprise, the only such alliance in the world. [Mitsubishi
joined later, in 2016.]
S+B: One factor in the breakdown may have been that the financial goals im-
posed on the members, particularly on Nissan, were too hard to meet.
SENARD: That did play a role, but a good leader must adapt to realities. A leader
must present goals that are tough, but achievable — and help the teams solve is-
sues to get there. If you don’t do that as a leader, at some point you may very well
be challenged.
S+B: How will the leadership at the new alliance be organized?
SENARD: There will be a very small management committee, including the
CEOs of the alliance companies. It will be a balanced board, but small enough
so that we can make decisions around the table.
S+B: In that context, your day-to-day leadership will be critical. Tell us what
your own management style is like.
SENARD: It’s rather pragmatic. I keep a few principles in mind. First, as a CEO,