Nissan appoints Thierry Sabbagh Divisional VP and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India

New Delhi: Nissan has announced a series of senior management changes across its Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region, as part of efforts linked to the Re:Nissan transformation plan, with a focus on organisational efficiency, governance and customer focus.

Effective 1 January 2026, Thierry Sabbagh’s responsibilities have been expanded to include Nissan India. He will now serve as Divisional Vice President and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India, Nissan and Infiniti. The move is positioned as a step towards maintaining leadership continuity across established markets, while reinforcing execution and growth priorities in India.

India continues to be positioned as a key market for Nissan in 2026. The company has outlined plans to introduce three new models over the next 14 to 16 months, including GRAVITE, TEKTON and a 7-seater C-SUV. Nissan is also continuing to expand its dealer network, with 250 customer touchpoints planned across the country.

Commenting on the announcement, Massimiliano Messina, Nissan AMIEO Chairperson, said, “The Re:Nissan plan is about transformation and customer-centricity. By empowering regional leadership, we are creating a more agile organization that can respond quickly to market dynamics and deliver competitive, compelling products. I am confident these changes will strengthen our performance and supercharge our progress in 2026 and I wish Thierry every success in his new role.”

Thierry Sabbagh, Divisional Vice President and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India – Nissan and Infiniti, said, “I am honored to take on this expanded role at a pivotal time for Nissan. The Middle East and India are dynamic, fast-growing and continuously evolving markets, with significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams and partners across the region to build on our strong foundations, accelerate growth and deliver meaningful value for our customers.”

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “This is a significant moment for Nissan in India as we enter a new phase of growth. Having Thierry on board reinforces our confidence in the path ahead, and his experience and leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our market presence and delivering even greater value to our customers. This appointment further strengthens our leadership as we move from transformation to execution, with a clear focus on products, customers and sustainable growth.”

Nissan also announced the departure of Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice President and Chief of Commercial Operations, Nissan AMIEO. Dorssers joined Nissan as a trainee in Nissan Europe, Amsterdam in 1992, and went on to hold leadership roles across France, Spain, Belgium, the United States and Japan. He was appointed Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales for AMIEO in 2021.

Following multiple product launches across the AMIEO region in 2025, Nissan has indicated that additional new products and technologies are scheduled for launch in 2026, including the India introductions of GRAVITE and TEKTON in early 2026.