Top award for leadership
Katherine Zachary, of Nissan AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania), has received an excellence award for leadership.
The honour was announced at the 2025 Women Automotive Awards for her commitment to creating opportunities for everyone, and helping ensure every voice is heard and valued across Nissan.
Commenting on the recognition, Zachary, who is the region’s vice-president of communications, says: says: “I’m humbled to receive this award, which reflects the collective effort across Nissan to build a culture where everyone feels seen, supported and empowered.
“Inclusion doesn’t happen by chance. It’s a result of everyday actions, thoughtful leadership and a shared commitment to progress. I’m proud to be a part of this journey.”
Stephanie May, commercial director at the Women Automotive Network, describes Zachary as not only a strategic voice in the car industry, but also a “mentor, champion and role model for future generations”.
In her role, Zachary, pictured above, leads all internal and external communications across the AMIEO region, overseeing a team of communicators operating in more than 140 markets. She also co-chairs the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) council, helping turn ideas into action and change across the company.
In 2024, she and her team launched Nissan’s speed-mentoring sessions. These are five-minute conversations that connect employees with senior leaders to build confidence, visibility and career growth for under-represented groups.
Zachary also leads inclusive communications strategies, recently spearheading an industry-first Women's Worldwide Car of the Year female-only event as part of all-new Micra launch activities.
In her role as DEI council co-chair, she has led the charge to expand employee resource groups across AMIEO, fostering advocacy and belonging.
In addition to her role at Nissan, Zachary teaches a masters-level course in international communications at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris.
This year’s awards took place at the Women Automotive Summit: Europe, a flagship event celebrating and championing diversity and inclusion across the industry.
The recognition comes as Nissan continues to embed DEI across the business. In September, Nissan AMIEO published a DEI report celebrating milestones across the region. Click here to access it.
