Embattled Renault boss Carlos Ghosn has resigned, France's economy minister said Thursday, as Nissan Motor Co Ltd announced that it was preparing to hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting in mid-April to vote on removing him from the automaker's board.
A senior director from Renault "received last night the letter of resignation from Carlos Ghosn", who remains detained in Japan, Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Agence France Presse.
The Nissan board already stripped Ghosn and director Greg Kelly of their representative director titles in November following their arrest on suspicion of financial misconduct, but the Japanese automaker needs shareholders' approval to fully oust them from the board.
The meeting agenda will also include the appointment of a new director to be nominated by alliance partner Renault SA, Nissan said in a statement.
Ghosn is expected to stay behind bars for several months after seeing a second bail request denied on Tuesday.
He faces three separate charges: two of under-declaring his income by tens of millions of dollars over eight years and another of seeking to shift personal investment losses onto Nissan.
Shin Kukimoto, Japan's deputy chief prosecutor, told reporters Thursday the authorities want Ghosn in custody because of fears he might tamper with evidence.
Kukimoto also said Japan lacks a system for electronic monitoring of suspects released on bail. Ghosn offered to wear such a monitoring device in his latest request to be released.
