France 'Extremely Vigilant' on Exit Payout for Ghosn

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Thursday said Paris would be "extremely vigilant" about the severance pay for Carlos Ghosn after the jailed auto tycoon resigned as boss of Renault.

"I can tell you that we will be extremely vigilant as key shareholders on the exit conditions that will be set by the (Renault) board of directors," Le Maire told AFP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The former CEO of Renault has been imprisoned in Japan for more than two months suspected of under-reporting tens of millions of dollars in income over eight years.

Ghosn had already been sacked as chairman of Mitsubishi as well as Nissan, companies with which Renault formed a major alliance.

In a development that stunned France, Japan and the wider business world, Ghosn was arrested on November 19 at a Tokyo airport and has been in detention since, fighting charges of financial misconduct that he denies.

Renault named two experienced French auto executives to replace Ghosn on Thursday.

Thierry Bollore, who has been running Renault since Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November, will take over as chief executive, while Jean-Dominique Senard, CEO of tire giant Michelin, has been named its new chairman.

Le Maire welcomed the nomination of Senard calling it a "new page in Renault's history".

"His main responsibility will be to ensure the future of the Alliance between Renault and Nissan and to strengthen it," Le Maire said. 

"He has all the qualities to fulfil this mission," said Le Maire, who had officially backed Senard's candidacy a few hours before the board meeting.