This is the end of the marketing approach

Last Thursday, Sandouville workers have burnt his effigy in the streets of le Havre. In early September, Laurent Wauquiez, Secretary of State for employment, described as "unacceptable" plan of 4,900 in France job losses announced by Renault. And, in an internal memo to his Union, Pierre Alanche, former salaried administrator group CFDT, said out loud what the company, with bad news, began to think any lower: "It seemed sure to force Renault to ignore external events." Is that once the inability of Renault to achieve its objectives of volume appeared obvious in the eyes of all Ghosn acknowledged the obvious.

Two days of the world of the automobile, which opens its doors to the public on 4 October in Paris, Carlos Ghosn has a problem. While his predecessor, Louis Schweitzer, was repeated to standardize the company, he removed his last cloak of social showcase here that wakes up the spectrum of Billancourt. A few cables from the mythical plant, in his Office in Boulogne, where he receives, the pattern of the French manufacturer is in shows no otherwise surprised. "I note that, as soon as Renault is affected, it reached an intensity, a level of passion that has nothing to do with what we're doing." I remember that our plan of departures is based on the only volunteer. And that it is very similar to what is being done elsewhere in the industry. "Final point Non. "In this context, it must be very careful," continues Carlos Ghosn. It cannot act with Renault in France as with the other. "A business leader, it is someone from pragmatic to do with what he has."

Out of the costume of the "cost killer".

But what it has today, are 6 plants body and mount French, on the whole of the year 2008, will have turned to 48 of their capacity, estimated at 1.7 million vehicles. Mass seemed said. The only question was whether Sandouville or of Flins shut the first. Carlos Ghosn response: "No." Visible horizon, the closure of a French site is neither intended nor possible. There are many new businesses arriving. And when it wants to invest in Europe, should focus on the France. "Tuesday, he had himself reassuring Nicolas Sarkozy on the fate of Sandouville, the most threatened site. By 2012, a utility vehicle will be feed production lines. The approach of the world, the time would be poorly chosen to back the opinion so consumers. And the Renault boss is clearly committed to show that it is not the "cost killer" deemed to be not very sensitive to the sirens of the patriotism it sometimes caricatured.

Before its arrival in Europe, an aura of manager infallible, Carlos Ghosn has long lived under the protection of the media halo where fear the dispute admiration. And his group with him, which, so far, through the global slowdown in the relative leniency of the markets, reassured by the presence of such character as head of the Renault-Nissan alliance. Force the sculpting God living automotive, it would have almost finished believe that, under his rule, Renault would escape the crisis which threatens the global economy since mid-2007. Forget that within a year the price of oil has doubled, the metal flew, the course of the euro has risen, the access to credit is added and two large markets of the group, Europe and Asia, have collapsed. Carlos Ghosn sinned by excess of confidence

Increases in dividend maintained

"You are the film we had dreaded in June, said Carlos Ghosn." In crisis, could not do worse. And if this were worse, this would be a disaster. "To the end, he believed in its dubbed"Renault contract 2009"plan: launch of 26 new models, production of 800,000 cars more, objective 6 operating margin which put the group in leading the Pack European generalist manufacturers for profitability. "This proactive attitude of CEO has largely contributed to the rise of the stress in the company, that the difficulties in achieving the outcomes manifested", writes Pierre Alanche. "It is true that employees have not seen in 2008 the results of the efforts for two years," admits Carlos Ghosn. Many are those who today reproach him for having refused to fold in on its ambitions. "If we adjust the objectives at the first hurdle, nobody ever believes in no goal, defending the boss of the Renault. If, on the contrary, you you difficult despite the conditions, you commit a fault. There is a balance to find, the need to manage. "In the summer, the group admitted that he would not to produce 800,000 cars more as early as 2009. The lack is today estimated at 300,000. Even on the profitability, Carlos Ghosn now seems less certain: "6 operating margin, it is a line that guides us again for next year", he said. In 2008, the result should be 4.5. So how to cross remains important. And for the remainder of prognostics, an appointment in early 2009. PAS question, however, to return on dividend increases promised to shareholders, as some of his critics had him demanded. "When we say something investors, they must rely on it." Return to our current policy, it would destroy confidence.

Carlos Ghosn, the issue is. It must at all costs stop déclinisme, the evil French, threatening to take control of the group. "In the current context of markets, carry a message of growth is difficult," he said. How to convince his troops that despite the decision of the economic coup, he laid the foundation of a solid group Today, Renault is yet no shortage of advantages: first, the Logan, a worldwide success, offering him the "low cost" range to date the most comprehensive in the world. Then, the investment. Tangier, the Group built a factory capable of producing 400,000 cars. Idem in India. In Russia, in partnering with AvtoVAZ, the manufacturer of the famous Lada, he opened wide the doors of which will be the first market automotive Europe tomorrow. Third motherboard: the new Megane, which will be unveiled to the world of the automobile. Declined in six models, for an overall investment of 1.8 billion, it will be one of the crucial issues of the coming months. Regarded as evil-loved by the new pattern, because it symbolized his eyes monoproduit culture of the group, this car is still more than a third of the profitability of Renault. "Successfully design, and the quality is there." "I added this new family will be produced at a cost of 30 lower than the previous," explains Carlos Ghosn.

The bet of the electric car

Finally is the electric car. Carlos Ghosn is the living as the next great challenge Renault and Nissan ally in terms of innovation. He has also escaped to anyone in the company that all employees working on projects of electric vehicles have been expressly exempted from the social plan announced in France. This is the end of the marketing approach. According to a recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), that refers to Carlos Ghosn, there will be 10 million electric cars sold in the world a total of 70 million in 2016. Alone, the European market could to gain 20, or 2 million, equivalent to sales of passenger cars annually in France. By 2012, Renault and Nissan should market a first line on a large scale. "We want to be the first on the segment of zero-emission cars," said Carlos Ghosn. An ambition that would solve two problems: first, to give the group a decent existence in high-end with electric. "We reflect on a successor of Vel Satis," confirmed Carlos Ghosn. Then, feed its French factories. A part of the program will be located at Flins.

Echaudé by the current crisis, the boss of the group now avoid venturing into too specific objectives. "The world has become more volatile, he said." In 1930, few people are risky to make plans for five years. Today, in the world, we are in a situation comparable, or even worse than that of 1929. At the time, the crisis was accentuated by the fact that central banks knew not how to do. Today, despite an action, the central banks are failed to stop things. Therefore caution. "A new word in the vocabulary of Carlos Ghosn.