Nissan Mexico head Jose Roman appointed new global Infiniti chief

TOKYO – Struggling Infiniti is getting a new global brand chief with the appointment of Jose Roman, Nissan’s most senior executive in Mexico and Latin America.

Roman, a native of Ecuador, joined Infiniti parent Nissan Motor Co. in 2012 and has more than 25 years of automotive experience in such markets as Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Japan, the company said in a June 1 news release announcing his promotion.

He is managing director of Nissan Mexico and of the Nissan Importers Business Unit, which oversees 34 markets throughout Latin America.

Infiniti’s newest leader starts July 1 and will be based at the company’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, just south of Tokyo. Roman, 56, will also serve as a senior vice president at the parent company and report to Asako Hoshino, Nissan’s global sales chief.

“Jose’s human-centric leadership style, paired with a wealth of experience gained across diverse markets, will be invaluable for Infiniti to move on to the next bright chapter,” Hoshino said in the statement. She credited Roman with consolidating Nissan’s market leadership in Mexico, where under his lead the brand achieved its 15th consecutive year to top the country’s sales chart.

During his tenure, Roman introduced Nissan’s e-Power hybrid powertrain system to the region.