THE first meeting of the Nissan/Renault Global Alliance Committee has taken place, resulting in a senior Nissan executive officially appointed to the board of Renault and the setting up of 11 cross-company teams. Both Renault and Nissan have stated that the global partnership, which creates the fourth biggest vehicle manufacturer in the world, will have little effect on fleet business for several years in the UK.

At the informal meeting, senior officials gathered for the first time as the Global Alliance Committee to decide on ways forward for the two companies. A Nissan spokesman said: 'GAC was set up to define the common strategy of profitable growth of the new entity and promote all possible synergies between the two groups. It is the senior management body of the Nissan/Renault partnership.'

The committee comprises five senior executives from both companies and is co-chaired by Louis Schweitzer, Renault chairman and chief executive officer, and Yoshikazu Hanawa, Nissan president and chief executive officer. It is to meet on a monthly basis, alternately in Paris and Tokyo or by video-conferencing.