Nissan Oceania will have a new boss from April 2026 after confirming Andrew Humberstone will return to Nissan in Europe after two years in the top job locally.
Mr Humberstone, who has been managing director of Nissan Oceania since April 2024, will be replaced by Steve Milette with effect from April 1, 2026.
Mr. Milette is currently Nissan North America’s Division Vice President of Dealer Network Development, Customer Resources, Training and Customer Experience. Previously, he led Nissan’s Canadian division for more than five years.
It’s another leadership change in the Australian automotive industry, with new bosses at MG, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Ford in 2026.
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Mr Humberstone’s new role in Europe was not specified. A company statement said he would take on a “senior role” at Nissan’s regional headquarters in Paris, France.
When Mr Humberstone arrived in Australia in 2024 to lead Nissan’s Oceania operations – which include the Dandenong foundry plant and New Zealand operations – the brand had just recorded 48.6 per cent sales growth in 2023, led by strong sales of the recently launched X-Trail SUV.
The outgoing boss has overseen the rollout of the brand’s e-Power hybrid technology following its launch in 2022, as well as the expansion of the local Warrior program for Navara and Patrol in collaboration with Melbourne-based Premcar.
However, challenges for Nissan around the world have also impacted the brand in Australia, with leadership shake-ups occurring overseas as the car maker faces significant financial pressure and therefore product development is slower than expected.
Nissan’s growth slowed to 15 percent in 2024, outpacing the overall market’s 0.3 percent increase but setting Toyota an all-time Australian sales record.
In 2025, Nissan Australia experienced a 21.6 percent decline in sales and fell out of the top 10, finishing in 12th place. The Japanese automaker also fell out of the top 10 worldwide by the end of June.
While Australia’s highest-volume X-Trail is due for a facelift before April, the current-generation model has been on sale here for four years, as has the smaller Qashqai SUV. Both face increasing competition from fresher rivals and a growing number of brands entering the local market.
The new-generation Navara, a rebranded Triton from alliance partner Mitsubishi, hits showrooms early this year. That doesn’t come a moment too soon, considering the previous generation was outperformed last year not only by established ute brands, but also new entrants like the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon.
The Pathfinder SUV was the only Nissan model to record higher sales locally last year (up 40 percent), although its total of 732 units was significantly dwarfed by other large SUVs, including the discontinued Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
Nissan Australia belatedly launched the Ariya electric SUV locally last year, with Mr Humberstone admitting its introduction was forced by New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) regulations that came into force on January 1, 2025.
The Ariya’s repeatedly delayed arrival comes nearly three years after its U.S. launch, with the model coincidentally being pulled from the U.S. lineup just days after its debut in Australia as it faced headwinds in that market.
In 2026, Nissan will also launch an updated Qashqai e-Power alongside the facelifted
Nissan will also add the new-generation Leaf electric vehicle (EV) later this year, as well as the Y63 Patrol SUV, which has been available in other markets since late 2024.
Alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi also face local challenges: Renault recorded a year-on-year decline in sales of 17.8 percent and Mitsubishi recorded a decline of 17.9 percent in 2025.
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