Nissan CEO receives Women’s Worldwide COTY award

Nissan CEO with WWCOTY president (left) and jury members. Photo: WWCOTY

The Nissan Leaf was selected as the Supreme Winner 2026 by the 86 women automotive journalists from 55 countries who form the Women’s Worldwide Care Of The Year jury. 

The Leaf stood out for its accessibility, ease of use, and its role in bringing electric mobility into everyday life, according to the Women’s Worldwide Care Of The Year (WWCOTY) judges.

AutoMuse founder Liz Dobson is a judge for WWCOTY, and she voted in the categories.

The award was presented by WWCOTY Executive President, Marta García, to Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation. 

Also present at the ceremony were Yumi Kawata, WWCOTY juror for Japan, and Petrina Gentile, WWCOTY juror for Canada.

“We are deeply honoured as a company—not only myself, but on behalf of Nissan—to receive this award,” said Espinosa. 

“It is a great recognition of all the work done by thousands of people behind the creation of this product.”

“The Nissan Leaf represents innovation that is practical, purposeful and accessible,” said García during the ceremony.

The award ceremony took place within the broader context of Nissan’s strategic Vision of Mobility Intelligence for Everyday Life, which places artificial intelligence at the core of the driving experience. Through its AI-defined vehicles, Nissan aims to integrate intelligent systems that make mobility safer, more intuitive and seamlessly connected to daily life.

Espinosa emphasised the human-centered approach behind the vehicle:

“This is a car made around purpose. It’s a symbol of what Nissan does: human-centric technology. We bring innovation into everyday life, creating new experiences and making advanced technologies accessible to as many customers as possible.”

He also highlighted the importance of making the transition to electric mobility seamless:

“With the LEAF, the goal was to create a car with no compromises. We want customers moving from internal combustion to electric vehicles to feel confident, with no hesitation or doubt.”

The CEO concluded by acknowledging the significance of this recognition and the importance of women in the automotive industry:

“On behalf of the thousands of people who worked on this car, we sincerely thank WWCOTY. We are deeply honoured to receive this award.”

The Nissan Leaf was anticipated to arrive in New Zealand later in the year, but is on hold at the moment.