Executive Face Of Nissan LEAF, Mark Perry “Retires” Today

[scottf200]

Executive Face Of Nissan LEAF, Mark Perry “Retires” Today
2 hours ago by Jay Cole

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Amidst all the recent turmoil surrounding the Nissan LEAF and battery capacity loss in Arizona, Nissan chief spokesman Dave Reuter, said yesterday that Mark Perry, who is Nissan’s Director of Product Planning and Advanced Technology (at least for a little longer), is retiring today.
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Nissan’s Chief Spokesman (Dave Reuter) goes to lengths to include the fact that Perry’s retirement had been planned “for months,” but we can’t help but suspect that, while that may be true, LEAF public relations problems on the ground have also been going on “for months” as well. Mark is 55.

 

[thankyouOB]

nice job. great pay.
anyone here like to retire at 55?
and you dont even have to be half good at your job.


talk about your 1%.

 

[TonyWilliams]

This won't be the only shake up at Nissan.

 

[EVDRIVER]

I'll miss all the " you can QC 8 times a day" and the LEAF was tested in heat and they only place it would have an issue is in the Sahara. "Gen-1 LEAF owners will not be left out and there will be an upgrade path for a 6.6kw charger". I hear the Romney campaign is hiring for consultants :lol:

 

[azdre]

I suspected that all of the statements made in the last 2 months to various reporters have been Mark angling for a severance (pension) for a quiet exit. I couldn't imagine how else he could spew such blatant untruths.

 

[MrIanB]

This must be a big internal issue and heads are rolling.

If Nissan will just do the right thing to those affected it would go a long way to steer back on course and move forward with this awesome car and tech.

Ian B

 

[TomT]

A bigger question is whether or not this also signals Nissan's eventual exit - or at least change in direction - from the EV market...

 

[MrIanB]

A bigger question is whether or not this also signals Nissan's eventual exit - or at least change in direction - from the EV market...

I hope not, they are not like GM with the EV1. They have millions already invested in the Infiniti LE coming next year and just showed another EV off road concept in the auto show yesterday. Please Nissan, don't leave us, lets address the issue so we can all learn and continue to support this futuristic tech that will pay off in the long run. Lets not look back but, rather move forward.

Ian B

 

[EVDRIVER]

A bigger question is whether or not this also signals Nissan's eventual exit - or at least change in direction - from the EV market...

You are kidding right? This is nothing compared to other auto maker challenges, Nissan will replace packs on cars that are excessive, those that get older and don't degrade fast before the clock ticks will be "normal" and passed over. They will find a solution for new cars and the issue will be over and forgotten in a year or so. Even if they had to replace 200 packs they would not stop making EVs for pack issues alone. Mark may just be leaving for other reasons but regardless he did tend to over promise on many counts, like an inexperienced sales person.

 

[TomT]

No, I'm quite serious. With sales stuck in what would typically be custom car territory, and the on-going brouhaha, how long might it be before Nissan decides that it is unsustainable as a commodity item... Perhaps they might go the way of Tesla and sell much more expensive and capable vehicles at much higher prices exclusively through Infiniti... Or decide their future is hybrids as Toyota has done...

A bigger question is whether or not this also signals Nissan's eventual exit - or at least change in direction - from the EV market...

You are kidding right?

 

[adric22]

No, I'm quite serious. With sales stuck in what would typically be custom car territory, and the on-going brouhaha, how long might it be before Nissan decides that it is unsustainable as a commodity item... Perhaps they might go the way of Tesla and sell much more expensive and capable vehicles at much higher prices exclusively through Infiniti... Or decide their future is hybrids as Toyota has done...

They've sold 38,000 Leafs. That's not custom car territory. Just because sales are low in the USA does not mean they aren't doing well elsewhere. The Prius only sold 48,000 units worldwide during its first 2 years. Actually, if you think about it the first Prius was only sold in Japan and the first 2 years sales would equal to around 33,000. So by those numbers are you saying that Toyota should have abandoned the Prius early on because of low sales?

I would imagine in the worst case scenario, Nissan would stop selling the vehicles in the USA for a while.

 

[jspearman]

Perry wants to spend more time with his family. Hope he and his Leaf don't retire to Scottsdale.

 

[Jay]

Perry wants to spend more time with his family. Hope he and his Leaf don't retire to Scottsdale.

That was Tony Posawatz famously said as he was leaving GM, he was going to go visit the ocean, read and spend time with his family, and had no other immediate plans. Six weeks later he was Fisker CEO, heeh.

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Personally, I really struggled with writing/highlighting that story about Mark. I thought maybe it was best to just let him go quietly, still not sure if it was the right thing to do.

I liked Mark a lot...still do, despite the events of the past few months, he would shoot you straight. I think he was being genuine when he said the things he did, even if it didn't pan out quite so accurately. He really believed in the product and electric vehicles.

Mark was pretty much 'the communication' at Nissan, because he would just keep talking and talking (probably to Nissan's shagrin).

I feel like the new advisory board will have some real trouble getting Nissan to "communicate" even at the level they did previously without Mark in the fold. If anything it feels like Nissan are circling the troops.

 

[palmermd]

Perry wants to spend more time with his family. Hope he and his Leaf don't retire to Scottsdale.

That was Tony Posawatz famously said as he was leaving GM, he was going to go visit the ocean, read and spend time with his family, and had no other immediate plans. Six weeks later he was Fisker CEO, heeh.

---

Personally, I really struggled with writing/highlighting that story about Mark. I thought maybe it was best to just let him go quietly, still not sure if it was the right thing to do.

I liked Mark a lot...still do, despite the events of the past few months, he would shoot you straight. I think he was being genuine when he said the things he did, even if it didn't pan out quite so accurately. He really believed in the product and electric vehicles.

Mark was pretty much 'the communication' at Nissan, because he would just keep talking and talking (probably to Nissan's shagrin).

I feel like the new advisory board will have some real trouble getting Nissan to "communicate" even at the level they did previously without Mark in the fold. If anything it feels like Nissan are circling the troops.

Yes, I think it is a mistake to let him go before they get things on the right track. As much as some people here dislike him, I think Nissan needs him now. I met him at the Google meeting and I too felt he was truthful and believed everything he said. There were a few times (not at Google, but on camera) it did seem he was saying things he did not believe, but (in my opinion) he was asked to say these things by his superiors, and some of these are the things he is most in trouble over. Anyhow, best wishes to him in all his future endevours.

 

[TomT]

Sorry, but 38,000 vehicles worldwide in two years is most definitely low volume specialty manufacturer territory.

It would be ironic if they stopped selling the cars in a country where they have a major manufacturing plant, however...

They've sold 38,000 Leafs. That's not custom car territory.
I would imagine in the worst case scenario, Nissan would stop selling the vehicles in the USA for a while.

 

[dgpcolorado]

If anything it feels like Nissan are circling the troops.

just so long as it's not a circular firing squad... I'm still hoping the LEAF and its successor EVs will succeed.

 

[SanDust]

I think he had to go. He simply said too many things that turned out not to be true. He may have believed them to be true, in fact he may have been told they were true, but at this point he lacked credibility.

On the good side, he looks really good for his age. We may see him pop up somewhere else.

 

[evnow]

Sad to see Mark Perry go.

But I don't think Nissan ever understood what PR means in this "social" age. I still don't think they get it.

Nissan has also bungled a few times on response to developing stories. They have been behind - way behind. Probably just the way Japanese companies traditionally respond (think of Toyota's unintended acceleration problems).

Acknowledging the problem and assuring they are looking into the problem quickly goes a long way.

Even Apple today apologized for the maps fiasco and even suggested customers use competitor's apps/sites.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Sad to see Mark Perry go.

He'll find a nice job elsewhere, I'm sure. I thought Mark was personally a very affable guy, and anybody who replaces him still must tow the company line.

Good luck out there Mark !!!

 

[opossum]

Mark Perry may have believed everything he said, including the infamous Death Valley BS, until about March or April of this year. This is me giving Nissan the benefit of the doubt. Part of me still thinks they knew what was coming in 2011 or earlier. But by this spring, there is no way Nissan could have been oblivious to what was happening down here in SoCal, AZ and TX. From that point forward, if the PR, management and engineering folks weren't in complete lockstep to plan their damage control and minimize their liability, they would have been failing miserably as a business, even for a large, sluggish corporation. Everything he has said to a microphone this spring, summer and fall has been spin.

Mark Perry was compensated quite generously during his time at Nissan. Do some cyberstalking and you'll see for yourself. He'll enjoy some time off and be just fine. Similarly, Nissan will have no problems finding another spin doctor to guide them as this Leaf fiasco builds momentum.