New boss of Russian carmaker Avtovaz enters a lion's den

Moscow

NICOLAS Maure, brought in to turn around Renault-Nissan's Russian carmaker Avtovaz, is entering a lion's den where his predecessor fell foul of diving sales and powerful vested interests among shareholders, suppliers and workers.

The 55-year-old Frenchman is likely to press on with cutting the workforce and weeding out shoddy component suppliers, albeit at a slower place than the last chief, while fending off those who want to keep the status quo.

Avtovaz, producer of Russia's best-selling Lada brand and the country's biggest carmaker by sales, is deeply troubled. Mr Maur…