10:55 am, June 27, 2024
Nissan president and CEO Makoto Uchida has told of being ‘deeply humbled’ by his honorary CBE.
The 57-year-old was created a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – to give it its full title – in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours, with the citation saying it was for services to UK-Japan business relations.
Although the vast majority of honours are given to Britons, people can still be nominated for one if they’re not British or aren’t a national of a country where the King is head of state. If approved, they are given an honorary award.
Uchida said: ‘I am deeply humbled and sincerely thankful to receive this honour from His Majesty King Charles III. The relationship between Nissan and the UK began 40 years ago, and today it continues to be very strong.
‘The honour of this award goes to our Nissan employees around the world and in the UK, where Nissan is proud to design, engineer and build vehicles.
‘I thank them for all their efforts and for inspiring with their dedication and innovation.’
There are five classes of appointment in this particular order of chivalry, with the CBE ranking third, above the OBE – which is fourth – and the MBE. Above the CBE are Knight Commander or Dame Commander in second place and Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross at the top.
Nissan founded its UK production site in Sunderland in 1984, with vehicle manufacturing starting there in 1986.
Uchida is pictured at top, posing for a selfie, when he joined the Sunderland team last November to confirm that three future Nissan electric vehicles would be manufactured in the UK – the next-generation Leaf and future electric versions of the Qashqai and Juke.
