Andy Palmer is leaving Nissan after 23 years to take the post of chief executive at British luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin.

Palmer was chief planning officer, executive vice president and member of the executive committee at Nissan Motor Company and will join Aston Martin after completing a transition period from the Japanese brand.

He has been based in Japan for the past 13 years and his responsibilities at Nissan included corporate and product planning, program management, electric vehicles, global arketing communications, global sales and IT, and he also served as chairman of Infiniti.

He will be replaced at Nissan by Philippe Klein.

Palmer’s appointment at Aston Martin will commence after he completes a transition period from his current employer.

He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the British automotive industry.

Aston Martin's shareholder board said: “We’re delighted that Andy will join us as our new CEO at this important time at Aston Martin.

"Andy’s wealth of experience on the global automotive stage in marketing and sales, engineering and technology, and luxury and brand management will be instrumental in taking Aston Martin forward through its most significant and ambitious period of investment to date.”

Palmer joins Aston Martin at what the company called "its most significant and ambitious period of investment to date".

Aston Martin is investing about £500m in technologies and engine development, including more than £20m to extend its manufacturing facility at Gaydon in Warwickshire.

It has also forged closer co-operation with Germany's Daimler, which owns 5% of Aston Martin.

Aston Martin's major shareholders are Kuwait's Investment Dar and Adeem Investment, and Italian private-equity firm Investindustrial.