Mitsubishi Motors Europe has appointed Opel France boss Eric Wepierre as its new president and chief executive.

Wepierre replaces Bernard Loire who has chosen to leave the business and brings 30 years of automotive industry experience to the Japanese carmaker’s European operation, having most recently held the post of president and managing director of Opel France.

Guillaume Cartier, senior vice-president for global marketing and sales, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, said: "With our new European organisation settled, we are now ready to stage the launch of our next strategic vehicles during the course of 2020, showcasing in a most compelling way our successful ‘SUV + EV’ product creed."

He added: “With his extensive experience in major pan-European organisations, in particular with attention to brand strategy and successful profit-driven development, we have no doubt Eric Wepierre will be the next key driver for Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in Europe."

Wepierre said: “I am delighted to join MMC; a great company with a rich heritage, unique corporate environment and strong DNA in SUV and technology and a pioneer in electrified vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

“At this time of my joining, my warm congratulations go to the Mitsubishi Motors Europe team, its distributors and their dealers who have made this Outlander PHEV the European market leader once more in 2019. A great starting point for the next big push from 2020 onwards.”

Mitsubishi franchisees got to see a complete replica dealership, in October last year, to help the understand how their motor retail sites will look by the end of 2022.

Displayed at Mitsubishi Motors in the UK’s Cirencester HQ the replica dealership demonstrates every aspect of the new customer experience from its recommended parking layout with electrified vehicle charge points.

In 2019 the brand's UK sales declined 30.6% to 16,199 (2018: 21,156), registrations data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed.