A senior figure in the history of Nissan’s Sunderland plant has announced his retirement.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, who was one of the original 22 supervisors hired before the plant opened, went on to become senior vice president at the global corporation. His time at Sunderland saw the plant become the largest car producer in the UK, making more than 10m cars and having a workforce of 6,000 people.
A former apprentice, he helped oversee the creation of the Nissan Skills Foundation in 2014 and he also set up the North East Automotive Alliance in 2015, becoming its first chairman. He was awarded a CBE in 2018.
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Mr Fitzpatrick’s retirement has led to promotions for two long-serving executives at Nissan, with Alan Johnson replacing him as senior vice president for Africa, Middle-East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region.
Mr Johnson is replaced as vice president for manufacturing in the UK by Adam Pennick. Mr Pennick joined Nissan in 1997 and has worked in leadership positions across the plant.
Mr Fitzpatrick said: “I consider myself very lucky to have been part of Nissan’s journey and am extremely proud of what we have achieved. We’ve started another exciting chapter in the company’s history, towards full electrification and carbon neutrality.
“I’m really excited for the team, and even more excited to drive those future Nissan models.”
Guillaume Cartier, chairperson of the Nissan AMIEO region, said: “I pay tribute to Kevin’s inspirational leadership. It is truly an outstanding life’s work.
“He was part of the team trusted to set the direction for Sunderland Plant right from the very start, and his commitment, knowledge and fantastic skill as a leader have influenced Nissan’s manufacturing teams across the world. It is no exaggeration to say that Nissan Sunderland Plant would not be the beacon of success that it is today without the exceptional service of Kevin Fitzpatrick.”
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