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Honda & Nissan scrap merger plans, maintain EV partnership
MUMBAI : In a major shift, Honda & Nissan have officially called off their proposed business integration, citing the need for quicker decision-making in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) market. The breakdown of discussions stemmed from a disagreement over Honda’s proposed restructuring, which would have made Nissan its subsidiary through a share exchange rather than forming a joint holding company. Despite this, both automakers will continue their strategic partnership to advance intelligent and electrified vehicle technologies.
The abandoned merger was part of a broader effort by Japan’s leading automakers to strengthen global competitiveness. Initially, Honda & Nissan had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in March 2024, focusing on next-generation vehicle intelligence and electrification. The agreement was expanded in August to include joint research on software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms. By December, talks had progressed towards a potential integration under a joint holding company, with Mitsubishi Motors also considering joining the alliance.
Had the integration gone forward, Honda & Nissan aimed to combine their management resources, enhance R&D capabilities, optimise manufacturing, and create significant cost synergies. They projected combined annual revenues exceeding 30 trillion yen and an operating profit of more than 3 trillion yen. Mitsubishi, which was evaluating its role in the deal, planned to make a final decision by January 2025.
Despite the setback, Honda & Nissan remain will continue to collaborate in key areas such as vehicle electrification and intelligence. While full-scale integration is off the table, their ongoing partnership signals a continued focus on innovation & market adaptability in an industry being reshaped by electric mobility & smart technologies.
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Boeing appoints Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering function
Seasoned finance leader to steer budgets and strategy across global centres
BENGALURU: Boeing’s finance cockpit has a new pilot, and he is no stranger to turbulence or transformation. Boeing has appointed Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering, placing him at the centre of financial strategy for its worldwide engineering and technology operations.
Based in Bengaluru, Barun steps into a role that is as expansive as it is critical. He will serve as the primary finance lead for Boeing’s Engineering and Technology Centers globally, working closely with executive leadership to shape financial decisions, manage complex budgets, and design scalable finance processes that support the company’s growing engineering footprint.
In a note announcing his move Barun said, “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Boeing Global Engineering. This opportunity is incredibly meaningful to me not just from a professional standpoint, but also for what Boeing represents globally.” He added that he looks forward to contributing to an organisation that continues to shape the future of aerospace and innovation.
Barun’s mandate spans strategic financial leadership, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement. From directing large-scale budgets and schedules to influencing long-term organisational goals, the role blends financial discipline with business foresight. He will also lead cross-functional teams and partner with finance colleagues worldwide to support engineering programmes across geographies, including India.
The appointment caps a long stint at Juniper Networks, where Barun spent over a decade, most recently as finance senior manager. There, he led FP&A for global product business units and G&A functions, driving budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. He also played a key role in enterprise-wide transformation, including spearheading an Oracle to SAP ERP migration and building advanced analytics capabilities using tools such as Tableau and SAP Analytics Cloud.
His earlier career includes finance leadership roles at Sony India Software Centre, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Mphasis, where he focused on financial planning, governance frameworks, and operational efficiency across global delivery centres.
A chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Barun brings nearly two decades of experience across financial planning, digital transformation, and analytics-led decision making.
His appointment comes at a time when global engineering operations are becoming increasingly complex and distributed, requiring sharper financial oversight and agile planning. With Barun at the helm of FP&A for engineering, Boeing appears to be tightening its financial playbook as it looks to scale innovation with discipline.
