Manabu Sakane

Manabu Sakane was appointed chief of strategy acceleration at Nissan in April 2025. In this role, he oversees corporate strategy, governance, external affairs, sustainability and market intelligence, and is responsible for monitoring and driving its progress under the Re:Nissan recovery plan.

Since joining Nissan in 2002, Sakane has built a broad career across product profitability, corporate planning and corporate governance. He began by managing product profitability in Japan before moving to Alliance partner Renault, where he oversaw Kangoo within the commercial vehicle division. He later advanced his corporate planning career in roles at Nissan's global headquarters in Japan and at Nissan North America. Upon returning to Japan, he served as program director, leading product profitability and later oversaw corporate governance. In 2021, Sakane was appointed corporate vice president, responsible for purchasing across the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Looking beyond Re:Nissan, Sakane emphasizes the importance of reaffirming Nissan's DNA, to "Do what others don't dare to do." He describes Nissan's value proposition as resting on two pillars: one focused on creating cars which advance freedom of movement through automation and intelligence, and another centered on preserving the emotional connection that comes from driving — a value that is timeless and universal. For Sakane, both technological innovation and emotional engagement are essential for Nissan to make a meaningful contribution to people and society.

Sakane holds bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from Osaka University and a master's degree in international relations from the University of California, San Diego.