text: **Sales & Marketing**
  
  YUSUKE SEKIGUCHI 
  Vice President 
  
  “In 2003, I was the “pilot”—essentially the project 
  
  leader—of a cross-functional team that redefined the 
  
  traditional sales function as a marketing function. 
  
  Now I cover car sales as well as traditional marketing 
  
  activities such as advertising and sales promotion. 
  
  This is part of our effort to address one of the most 
  
  competitive auto markets in the world—Japan. 
  
  Our dealers conduct sales activities in the 
  
  marketplace, and our role is to ensure that what they 
  
  do reflects Nissan’s plans. We also gather customer 
  
  feedback from the showroom to see how we can 
  
  improve processes. Direct communication through online 
  
  outlets is another new way of reaching out to customers. 