After two years in the top job locally, Andrew Humberstone was confirmed to be returning to Nissan in Europe after two year at **Nissan Oceania’s new boss from April 2026. ** **
Mr Humberstone, managing director of Nissan Oceania since April 2024, will be replaced by Steve Milette effective April 1, 2026.
Now Mr Milette is the division vice president of Nissan North America’s division for dealer network development, customer resources, training and customer experience. For over five years, he was the head of Nissan’s Canadian division.
A new bosses at MG, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Ford in 2026 are another leadership change across the Australian car industry.
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It has not been confirmed that Mr Humberstone’s new role in Europe will be 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 casting plant and the New Zealand business – the brand had just posted 48.6 per cent sales growth in 2023, led by strong sales of the recently introduced X-Trail SUV.
The outgoing chief has overseen the rollout of the brand’s e-Power hybrid technology following its 2022 introduction, as well as the extension of the local Warrior program for the Navara and Patrol in partnership with Melbourne-based Premcar.
The brand has also been affected by challenges for Nissan worldwide, but the brand in Australia is under heavy financial pressures from leadership upheaval overseas as the automaker and resulting in slower-than-expected product development.
Nissan’s growth slowed to 15 per cent in 2024 and, while it outperformed the overall market’s 0.3 per cent increase, it came as Toyota set an all-time Australian sales record.
In 2025, Nissan Australia posted a 21.6 per cent drop in sales and dropped out of the top 10, finishing in 12th position. The Japanese automaker also fell outside the top 10 globally to the end of June.
While a facelift of the volume-selling X-Trail is due in Australia 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 rebadged Triton from Alliance partner Mitsubishi, arrives in showrooms early this year. It comes not a moment too soon, given the outgoing generation was outsold last year by not only established ute nameplates but also newer 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 per cent), though its total of 732 units was comfortably eclipsed by other large SUVs including the discontinued Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
Nissan Australia belatedly introduced the Ariya electric SUV locally last year, with Mr Humberstone admitting its launch was forced by the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) regulations that came into effect on January 1, 2025.
This is almost three years since the launch of The Ariya’s repeated delay, with the model subsequently dropping from US lineup within days of its Australian debut as it faced headwinds in that market.
In 2026, alongside the facelifted X-Trail, Nissan is set to launch an updated Qashqai e-Power, but the axing of purely petrol-powered versions of the small SUV has resulted in a base price more than $10,000 higher than before.
Nissan will also add the new-generation Leaf electric vehicle (EV) later this year, as well as the Y63 Patrol SUV which has been on sale in other markets since late 2024.
Local challenges are also facing Alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi, with Renault posting a 17-year-old. Year-on-year sales of 8 per cent and Mitsubishi a 17 year on the record for. 2025 9 per cent drop in 20 25 for .
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