For her, standing still isn’t an option. If an organization isn’t changing, she believes, it’s likely declining. Here, she shares the transformation playbook she’s running at Nissan Americas, the experiences that shaped her approach, and the principles she uses to foster ownership, purpose, and psychological safety in the middle of large-scale change.
Reimagining tech at Nissan Americas
Since stepping into the CIO role in April last year, Ma has reorganized Nissan Americas’ technology function around value chains, shifting the operating model from functional silos to a product-centric approach focused on outcomes. She’s introduced roles such as journey owners, product owners, and agile evangelists to reinforce systems thinking and accountability across teams. The objective is clear: pair operational excellence with continuous innovation.
“Innovation isn’t isolated to a team of specialists, and it’s not a place you visit,” Ma says. “It’s a behavior you model.” While Nissan’s teams already execute with discipline, Ma has expanded their remit to include adoption, experience, and measurable customer value. That, she says, requires a constant innovation mindset.
About the Author
