Greg Kelly The Other Former Nissan Executive

Greg Kelly, the former executive at Nissan Motor Company, was at the center of a financial scandal that led to his arrest in Japan in 2018. The arrest and subsequent charges against Kelly sparked a heated debate about the events that led to his downfall, particularly the role of the Japanese board of directors at Nissan.

Kelly joined Nissan in 1999 and held several key positions within the company, including Senior Vice President and Director of Human Resources, before being appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Americas in 2010. He was responsible for overseeing Nissan's operations in North, Central and South America and played a significant role in the company's growth in the region.

Kelly's relationship with the board of directors at Nissan became strained for several reasons. Firstly, Kelly was seen as an outsider, as he was born and raised in the United States and had a different cultural background from the rest of the board members. This caused a cultural rift between Kelly and the board, which only grew wider over time.

Additionally, Kelly's outspoken and assertive personality was seen as a threat to the traditional hierarchy within Nissan. The board of directors felt that Kelly was not following their lead and was instead pursuing his own agenda. This led to a power struggle between Kelly and the board, which ultimately resulted in his downfall.

The board of directors at Nissan also felt that Kelly was too closely aligned with former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was also arrested in the same financial scandal. Ghosn was seen as a charismatic and powerful leader who had a strong influence over Nissan and its employees. The board of directors felt that Kelly was too closely aligned with Ghosn and was not doing enough to assert his independence from him.

Whether it was true or not is another story. But cultural differences, a power struggle, and a perceived alignment with former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, ultimately led to his arrest and the charges against him in the financial scandal. Kelly's case continues to raise important questions about the dynamics between executives and boards of directors in multinational corporations.

Although Mr. Kelly faced challenges in Japan, he has remained a respected professional and has continued to contribute to the industry through his consulting work.