Hiroto Saikawa is scheduled to succeed Carlos Ghosn as Nissan Motor's CEO from April 1, 2017, while Ghosn will continue to serve as chairman of the automaker's board of directors.

Nissan said Thursday the change is a planned move now that the Renault-Nissan Alliance has expanded to include Mitsubishi Motors, and Ghosn serves as chairman of all three companies in the alliance and CEO of the Renault Group.

After caught in a decades-long fuel economy scandal, Mitsubishi Motors sold around 34 percent of its equity in late 2016 to Nissan for $2.3 billion.

Ghosn said the management change will allow him to devote more time and energy to managing the strategic and operational evolution and expansion of the alliance.

The alliance sold around 9.96 million cars worldwide in 2016, coming after Volkswagen, Toyota and GM.

"Having recently taken on new responsibilities at Mitsubishi Motors, and taking into consideration the upcoming Nissan general shareholders meeting, I have decided that the time is right for Hiroto Saikawa to succeed me as Nissan's CEO," said Ghosn.

Nissan will hold its general shareholders meeting in June and Ghosn will seek a renewal of his mandate as its chairman at the meeting, said the automaker.

Saikawa currently serves as Nissan's co-CEO and a representative director. He joined Nissan in 1977, and since 1999 he has served in a variety of senior management positions.

In addition to his responsibilities at Nissan, Saikawa is the current chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. He served as a member of the board of directors of Renault between 2006 and 2016.