Chief Executive Makoto Uchida is stepping down, with Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa taking the helm of the Japanese carmaker.

Effective April 1, the board of directors has approved titles and areas of responsibility for the representative executive officer and executive officers. Ivan Espinosa, currently the chief planning officer, has been appointed as the representative executive officer, president, and CEO, succeeding Makoto Uchida.

When news broke of official merger talks between Honda and Nissan came to light earlier this year, it seemed like there was relief on the horizon for the latter carmaker. It's no secret that the Yokohama,