Synopses & Reviews
When Carlos Ghosn (pronounced like "phone") was named COO of Nissan in 1999, the company was running out of gas and careening toward bankruptcy. Eighteen months later, Nissan was back in the black, and within three years it had become the most profitable large automobile company in the world. SHIFT is the story of how Ghosn accomplished the impossible, told in his own words and filled with lessons for the bold and ambitious in any business.
The Brazilian-born, French-educated son of Lebanese parents, Ghosn consistently challenged the tradition-bound thinking and practices of Japanese business. He closed plants, laid off workers, broke up long-standing supply networks, and sold off marginal assets and cross-shareholdings. Slashing costs was just the first step in the amazing recovery. Ghosn introduced changes in every corner of the company, from manufacturing and engineering to marketing and sales. He updated Nissan’s lineup, took risks on dynamic new designs, and demanded quality improvements—strategies that quickly burnished the image of Nissan’s products in the marketplace.
A hard-driving, focused leader who makes his presence felt and his opinions known throughout the company, Ghosn has been profiled in every major business publication. Like the bestselling memoirs of Jack Welch, Lou Gerstner, and Larry Bossidy, SHIFT is a fascinating look at what it takes to rise to the top and an invaluable guide for business people who want to learn how to take risks without sacrificing quality, prestige, or profits.
About the Author
CARLOS GHOSN joined Nissan as COO in June 1999, became president a year later, and in 2001 assumed the position of president and CEO. Born in Brazil to Lebanese immigrants, he was educated in France, where he earned engineering degrees from Ècole Polytechnique and Ècole des Mines de Paris. He was chief operating officer of Michelin in Brazil before becoming COO of Renault and then taking over the reins of Nissan. In the spring of 2005, Ghosn will become the CEO of Nissans parent company, Renault, while continuing as CEO of Nissan.