Matthew Hobbs has been appointed vice president, external and government affairs, for Nissan in Asia and Oceania, effective March 2, 2020.
Hobbs will report to Yutaka Sanada, MC Chairman and head of Nissan in Asia and Oceania, and will be based in Melbourne, Australia.
He will be responsible for further strengthening government and stakeholder relations for Nissan across the Asia and Oceania region. He will lead the External and Government Affairs team in proactive engagement with key regulators to support Nissan’s vision of ‘zero emissions and zero fatalities’ across the region.
Hobbs has more than 15 years of experience leading government relations, public policy and communications functions in highly regulated industries across Asia-Pacific, Uzbekistan, India, Africa, Middle East and South America. Prior to joining Nissan, he was the Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy for the international division of a North American automotive company. He has also worked as the head of communications at Tiger Airways in Singapore and Australia, and in the Australian Government as a ministerial adviser.
Originally from Melbourne, Hobbs has a Bachelor of Economics in Analytical Economics and Political Science from the University of Tasmania, and a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from the University of Canberra.
Hobbs replaces Lavanya Wadgaonkar, who was previously announced as general manager & head, global corporate communications for Nissan.
