Renault sacks number two amid industrial espionage debacle

[Blue_Tires]

AFP - Renault said Monday its number two executive will be demoted while three others will be sacked in the wake of an industrial espionage fiasco at the French car-maker's electric vehicles programme.

Patrick Pelata's offer to resign as chief operating officer was accepted but he will stay within the company, the firm said in a statement, adding that three executives from the group's security service will leave.

Three other top executives will be relieved of their duties while their fate is decided, it said.

The announcement came after an extraordinary board meeting at Renault to study an audit committee's report on the scandal that saw three senior executives wrongfully accused of selling industrial secrets.

The meeting also agreed on a deal to compensate the executives falsely accused, Renault said.

The French government, which owns 15 percent of Renault, had said earlier Monday that the executives responsible for the embarrassing debacle should be sacked.

http://www.france24.com/en/20110411-french-government-lashes-out-renault-over-spy-case-auto-industry

[Gold Metal Flake]

1. Renault execs accused of SELLING industrial secrets?

Who would believe that anyway?

I kid.

Anyways, has the motive for the false accusations been alleged yet? (sorry for the grammar)

[Blue_Tires]

2. Not sure

there is evidently a lot going on behind closed doors that we'll never know...