Nissan supremo Trevor Mann backs agency

Feb 15 2010 by William Green, The Journal

THE North East must work together if it wants to secure future prosperity, a top Nissan executive says.

Trevor Mann, senior vice president for manufacturing, Europe, has spoken out after The Journal’s Case for the North East won widespread support.

The campaign is highlighting how thousands of jobs and millions of pounds worth of investment are directly dependent on having a strong regional voice.

Car giant Nissan is used to going into partnership with countries, but the North East is the only region in the world that the firm has entered into a low carbon pact with.

That could help sway Nissan to decide to build electric cars in Sunderland, with its local car plant a contender in an internal company competition due to end in the next few months.

The company re-emphasised its commitment to the North East when it unveiled the latest model that will be built at Washington – the Juke – to the world’s press in Paris last week.

Speaking to The Journal, Mr Mann stressed the important role that regional development agency One North East has played in developing the North East as a centre of excellence for green technologies.