FILE PHOTO: Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa speaks during a news conference at its global headquarters building in Yokohama, Japan, December 17, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor’s chief executive said on Thursday he would discuss differences in views over the automaker’s plan to reform its governance directly with Renault, calling the French car maker an important shareholder and partner, Jiji news agency reported.

A recent push by Renault SA to block a governance overhaul at Nissan has put the two-decade-old Franco-Japanese alliance in jeopardy, posing a headache for Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa.

In a fresh blow, two leading proxy advisory firms have also urged Nissan shareholders to vote against re-appointing Saikawa as director at the annual shareholders’ meeting at the end of the month.