Hail to the (acting) Chief! Harley-Davidson has appointed ex-PUMA CEO Jochen Zeitz as acting president and CEO in the wake of Matt Levatich leaving The Motor Co.
The Board of Directors will form a committee and bring in an external search firm to find a new CEO. Levatich will assist with the transition through the end of March.
"The Board and Matt mutually agreed that now is the time for new leadership at Harley-Davidson," claims Zeitz. “Matt was instrumental in defining the 'More Roads To Harley-Davidson' accelerated plan for growth, and we will look to new leadership to recharge our business. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Matt for his 26 years of service to Harley-Davidson. He has worked tirelessly to navigate the Company through a period of significant industry change while ensuring the preservation of one of the most iconic brands in the world.”
“The Harley-Davidson Board and leadership team will continue to work closely together as we search for a new CEO. We have confidence that our combined leadership experience and deep understanding of Harley-Davidson will ensure an effective transition. As a passionate Board Member of Harley-Davidson, I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and other Harley-Davidson stakeholders to advance and deliver the Company’s strategy and execution during this important time,” Zeitz continued.
As part of this leadership change, Zeitz will remain chairman once a new CEO is appointed. The current chairman of the Board, Michael Cave, is now presiding director.
