Nissan appoints Thierry Sabbagh as president, strengthens India operations

Nissan has announced a series of senior management changes in its Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region. This would help boost delivery of the new Re:Nissan transformation plan and enhance operational efficiency, speed and customer focus.

 

Effective January 1, 2026, Thierry Sabbagh has taken over as divisional vice-president and president, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India of Nissan and Infiniti. His responsibilities have been expanded to include Nissan India as well.

 

The expanded scope reflects Nissan’s focus on maintaining leadership continuity across established markets. It is also strengthening governance, execution and growth momentum in India as a strategic priority within the AMIEO region.

 

 

India is central to Nissan’s ambitions in 2026, as the brand accelerates its resurgence in the market.

 

Building on this momentum, Nissan India will introduce three new models over the next 14-16 months, including GRAVITE, TEKTON and a 7-seater C-SUV. It would continue to expand its customer reach through a growing dealer network with 250 touch points across the country.

 

Commenting on the announcement, Massimiliano Messina, Nissan AMIEO chairperson, said: “The Re:Nissan plan is about transformation and customer-centricity. By empowering regional leadership, we are creating a more agile organisation that can respond quickly to market dynamics and deliver competitive and compelling products. I am confident these changes will strengthen our performance and supercharge our progress in 2026. I wish Sabbagh every success in his new role.”

 

Sabbagh said: “I am honoured to take on this expanded role at a pivotal time for Nissan. The Middle East and India are dynamic, fast-growing and continuously-evolving markets, with significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams and partners across the region to build on our strong foundations, accelerate growth and deliver meaningful value for our customers.”

 

Saurabh Vatsa, managing director (MD), Nissan Motor India, said: “This is a significant moment for Nissan in India as we enter a new phase of growth. Having Sabbagh on board reinforces our confidence in the path ahead. His experience and leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our market presence and delivering even greater value to our customers.

 

This appointment further strengthens our leadership as we move from transformation to execution, with a clear focus on products, customers and sustainable growth.”

 

These changes reinforce Nissan’s commitment to delivering innovative products and services with greater speed and precision, ensuring alignment with evolving customer needs across the diverse markets within AMIEO.

 

Nissan also announced the departure of Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice President, Chief of Commercial Operations, Nissan AMIEO. Having joined Nissan as a trainee in Nissan Europe Amsterdam in 1992, Dorssers went on to hold a number of leadership roles in France, Spain, Belgium, America and Japan, before becoming AMIEO Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales in 2021.

 

Following a series of exciting product launches across AMIEO in 2025, Nissan has another strong year ahead in the region with more new products and technologies on the way. This includes the India launches of GRAVITE and TEKTON in early 2026.