Renault effects senior management changes in China and Korea

Following the Wuhan plant opening on February 1 and the launch of the Kadjar SUV in China on March 18, Renault is entering into a new phase of development in China.

The French carmaker has announced that as of April 1, François Provost has been appointed senior vice-president, China Operations and becomes a member of the Renault Management Committee. He reports to Gilles Normand, chairman of Asia-Pacific region.

The company statement says, “His mission will be to deliver the sales and profit objectives that have been set for business expansion in China. His candidature will also be proposed as president of Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company at the next Board of Directors of DRAC, in replacement of Jacques Daniel.”

“I would like to thank Jacques Daniel for his contribution in establishing the joint-venture with Dongfeng, completing the greenfield plant and the Kadjar local production,” said Gilles Normand.

Meanwhile, Donghoon Park has been appointed CEO and representative director of Renault Samsung Motors replacing François Provost. He will focus on business expansion and market share increase following the successful turnaround over past five years.

Born in June 1968, François Provost graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole des Mines de Paris engineering schools in Paris. He started his career as a senior civil servant in the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, Treasury Department. He then became a member of staff and advisor to the French Minister of Defence.

He joined Renault in 2002 in the sales and marketing Division in France as branch general manager, then regional sales director. In 2005, he was appointed managing director of Renault-Nissan Portugal. From 2008 to 2010, he was the head of Renault worldwide sales and marketing strategy and planning. He was then appointed chief operating officer of Renault Russia. In September 2011, he became CEO and representative director of Renault Samsung Motors.