Former Nissan Sunderland Plant MD Awarded CBE

SUNDERLAND, UNITED KINGDOM – June 15, 2010: The former Managing Director of Nissan’s Sunderland Plant, Colin Dodge, has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his contribution to the UK car industry.

After being notified of the award, he described it as a tribute to every employee at the car plant where he spent the first 23 years of his Nissan career.

Colin, who now sits on Nissan’s Board of Directors in Japan, was among the first employees to join the plant in 1984 when he was recruited as Paint Shop Manager.

As part of the original management team he played a key role in the early development phase of the facility and in the launch of its first model - the Bluebird –in 1986.

Following a succession of rapid promotions within production, he became Deputy Managing Director in 2000 when Sunderland became a three-model facility for the first time with the launch of the Almera hatchback.

Colin became plant Managing Director in 2003, and in the same year was promoted to Senior Vice President for Manufacturing, Purchasing, Supply Chain Management and Information Systems for Nissan’s European operation.

When he left the North East in 2007 to head up Nissan’s overseas markets and China, the Sunderland facility employed more than 4,000 staff and represented nearly £2.5 billion investment.

Last year Colin became Executive Vice President of Nissan Motor Co Ltd responsible for Africa, Middle East, India and European Operations. He was appointed to Nissan’s Board of Directors in April 2010.

He commented: “I am delighted to receive this award as it recognises the hard work and professionalism of all Nissan employees in the UK throughout sales, design, development and manufacturing. Their combined efforts ensure that the UK remains a strategically important country for Nissan in Europe, and I dedicate this award to them.”