Car maker Infiniti to move headquarters from Hong Kong to Japan to be nearer parent Nissan as it pursues electric, autonomous vehicles
- The company said it will move its global HQ to the Japanese city of Yokohama, home of its parent, Nissan
- Launched as a brand in 1989, Infiniti established its base in Hong Kong in 2012 to get closer to China, the world’s biggest car market
Infiniti Motor, the premium arm of Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor, will relocate its global headquarters from Hong Kong to Yokohama to be closer to its parent company next year, it announced on Wednesday.
The relocation will enhance its shift towards electric and autonomous vehicles and further integrate the company with the “global design and manufacturing functions” of Nissan, which is headquartered in the Japanese city, Infiniti said in a statement.
Infiniti is one of very few foreign companies to have located its global HQ in Hong Kong, as opposed to somewhere with a big catchment area.
The move to Japan, scheduled for the middle of 2020, comes as global car markets have faced a torrid time since last year. Infiniti sold 234,231 vehicles globally, down 5 per cent from 2017, according to data provided by the company.
In mainland China, it sold 45,940 last year, also down 5 per cent, while in the US, its largest market, it sold 149,280, a decrease of 3 per cent annually. Its sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), however, did well last year with 144,000 units sold, led by the popular QX50 model in both the US and China.
“The move will bring us closer to our parent company so that we can better realise synergies, especially as we electrify our portfolio. It is increasingly important to be closer to design, R&D and manufacturing as our product development evolves in the age of electrification and autonomy,” said Trevor Hale, general manager of global communications for Infiniti.