Harley-Davidson Names New CEO: Will Starrs Revive Sales?
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
NYSE: HOG
3700 West Juneau Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53208
United States
Main Phone: (414) 342 4680
Website: https://www.harley-davidson.com
Industry Sector: Consumer, Recreational Vehicles
Full Time Employees: 5,900
Fiscal Year End: Dec 31
Annual Revenues: $4.47 Billion USD
Outgoing CEO: Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President & CEO
Incoming CEO: Artie Starrs
Fortune Rank: #649 on the 2025 Fortune 1000 list
Key Highlights
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Artie Starrs will become the new CEO of Harley-Davidson on October 1, 2025, joining the board of directors as well.
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Starrs brings a track record of sales revival and global leadership roles, having driven Topgolf’s revenues up by over 50% and expanded Pizza Hut to 18,000+ locations worldwide.
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The Harley-Davidson board selected Starrs for his experience with strong brands and franchise-driven industries.
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Jochen Zeitz, the outgoing CEO, struggled with motorcycle sales and financial performance during recent years.
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Starrs’ arrival signals a potential new era for Harley’s motorcycle lifestyle and brand reinvigoration.
Introduction
Harley-Davidson is starting a new chapter with Artie Starrs as the new global Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He starts the job on October 1, 2025. The company is famous for its rebellious spirit and strong motorcycle culture, aiming to attract new people as it moves forward. After some tough years, it now stands at a turning point. Artie Starrs is known for his past leadership roles in incredible companies and his four and a half years of leadership that led to significant growth. He takes over with a plan to boost sales and enhance the role of CEO in bringing new life to the brand. As he gets ready to lead, his main goals will be to help Harley-Davidson grow again and keep its name strong all around the world.
Artie Starrs Steps In: Why Harley-Davidson Picked a New Leader
The board of directors wanted new leadership and a smooth transition for the company. That is why they chose Artie Starrs. Artie Starrs is an accomplished business leader. He has extensive experience working with large brands and global operations. Jochen Zeitz is the current chairman of the board and the outgoing CEO. He will help by staying as a senior advisor until February 2026. The board of directors believes that Artie Starrs will help Harley-Davidson get back its strong market position and connect better with its wide group of riders.
Background on Harley-Davidson’s Recent Sales Struggles
In the past few years, Harley-Davidson has had a tough time with sales and money problems. While Jochen Zeitz was in charge, the company started “The Hardwire,” which included the successful execution of the Hardwire as a five-year plan to focus on their main motorcycles and leave markets that did not make much money, including the portfolio of the LiveWire Group, which aims to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand. But the sales still did not improve much. In the second quarter of 2025, the company showed a big drop in numbers, with revenue falling by 19% to $1.3 billion. Profits also went down a lot compared to the year before.
Things got more difficult when Harley-Davidson ran into trouble with trade in other countries. For example, high European tariffs almost blocked their bikes from being sold in their second-biggest market. Back home, dealers said they had too many bikes sitting in stores, and there was worry about the company’s own online sales competing with them. The recent Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) transaction, where Harley-Davidson sold more than $5 billion in loans, was done to lower debt and help investors. This recent HDFS transaction did not solve the main issues.
The mix of money challenges, worries in global markets, and problems within the company’s management set the stage for a big leadership change. Now that Jochen Zeitz has stepped down as Chairman of the Board effective October, the Harley-Davidson board sees they need a new CEO as well as a chief financial officer who can deal with these significant contributions and problems in the United States, with Zeitz remaining as a senior adviser during the transition.
The Search for New Leadership: Why Starrs Was Chosen
The board of directors wanted a global CEO who could bring new life and vision to Harley-Davidson. Artie Starrs stood out as their top pick for a few reasons:
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He has years of leadership at strong brands the world knows, like Topgolf and Pizza Hut.
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Artie has a track record for making global operations better and bringing in substantial value and growth.
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He knows how franchise-led businesses work, which fits well with Harley’s big dealer network.
His past work with strong brands, as well as growing sales and keeping costs low, gave him a big edge. Troy Alstead, the lead director, said, “Artie’s history with growth and his skill at handling global franchises are huge assets right now in the company’s journey.” This sums up why the board felt sure about him.
The board chose Starrs soon after Jochen Zeitz said he would step down. That news started a focused search for a new leader. Starrs' mix of business sense, time working with big brands, and knowledge of brand communities made him the clear pick for everyone on the board.
Who Is Artie Starrs? Professional Journey Before Harley-Davidson
Artie Starrs has a strong track record that he brings to Harley-Davidson. He has gained this through many leadership roles in different industries. He started as an investment banker at Wasserstein Perella. After that, he moved into higher finance and leader positions. He worked as CFO for Rave Cinemas and then took on big jobs at Pizza Hut. Artie Starrs went on to become the global CEO of Pizza Hut. Most recently, he was the CEO of Topgolf. At Topgolf, he led the company as it grew quickly. This helped show that he can drive growth and be inventive in his work.
Key Roles at Topgolf: Expanding a Lifestyle Brand
During his four and a half years as Topgolf CEO, Artie Starrs guided the company to become one of the premier sports entertainment companies in the world, focusing on the growth of the brand. He managed over 100 global recreational venues and led a team of more than 30,000 employees. Notably, Topgolf’s revenues soared by over 50% under his leadership—from $1.1 billion in 2021 to $1.8 billion annually. The brand also expanded into five additional countries across Europe and Asia, highlighting Starrs’ knack for international growth.
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Area |
Key Achievement Under Artie Starrs |
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Global Expansion |
Opened venues in 5 new countries (Europe & Asia) |
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Financial Growth |
Boosted annual revenues from $1.1B to $1.8B |
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Brand Portfolio |
Managed 100+ venues with 30,000+ employees |
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Leadership Focus |
Established Topgolf as a top sports entertainment company |
Starrs’ transformational impact on Topgolf set the stage for his selection as Harley-Davidson’s new leader.
Lessons from Yum! Brands and Pizza Hut
Artie Starrs proved that he can lead strong brands all over the world during his time at Yum! Brands, especially with Pizza Hut. As the global CEO of Pizza Hut, he took the brand to over 18,000 locations in 110 countries. This shows how good he is at handling franchise setups.
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He led the big growth for Pizza Hut, making it one of the largest fast-food brands out there.
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He learned a lot about what customers want and why a good brand culture matters, which is really important in the motorcycle lifestyle field.
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He helped teams work well together, both at the company’s main office and with franchisees across the world.
Artie Starrs did well at Pizza Hut and before that, he was the CFO for Rave Cinemas. This shows that he can manage money and daily work very well. Because of what he achieved, many people think he could make a big difference for Harley-Davidson, even though he is moving into a new business.
Starrs’ Leadership Approach: What Sets Him Apart
Colleagues and board members often say Starrs’ way of managing is both lively and very team-based. He is known for showing unwavering dedication and outstanding leadership at every brand he has worked for. He works hard to improve both the financial performance and the company culture. Starrs says it is a huge privilege for him to join Harley-Davidson. This shows his humility and real respect for the company’s long history. These qualities make him stand out as he gets ready to lead Harley-Davidson into its next chapter.
Insights from Colleagues: Management Style and Impact
Former coworkers at Topgolf and Pizza Hut often talk about how Starrs can inspire teams and get good results. Many say he shows outstanding leadership by working hard along with his staff and his passion as an avid sports and outdoor enthusiast who enjoys live music. He’s always ready to put in the time with them. Troy Alstead, who is the presiding director at Harley-Davidson, said, “Artie understands the special place Harley-Davidson has in culture and in the lives of our riders.”
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Starrs is known for open and clear communication. He includes everyone in making decisions, and that helps build trust among the team.
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People at Topgolf noticed his vision for growth and liked that he showed respect for what each person brings to the brand’s success.
His management style is a mix of setting big goals and working together in a real way to reach them. His unwavering dedication and hard work help Harley-Davidson as it looks to move forward and come up with new things. This is what the company needs as it changes.
Early Statements and Vision for Harley-Davidson
Since his appointment was announced, Artie Starrs has talked about how much he likes the strong bond that Harley-Davidson has with the people who ride and support it. He thinks Harley-Davidson holds a unique position in motorcycle culture and is known for bringing a special level of community and rebellious spirit. In his first public comments, Starrs said, “I have long admired the unique position Harley-Davidson has in the hearts of its riders and fans; there is no brand that brings the same level of community and rebellious spirit as Harley-Davidson.”
His overall vision is about honoring the brand’s tradition while also helping it grow in the future. Starrs wants to make the Harley-Davidson experience better for everyone, whether they have been part of it for years or are just starting, as he sees tremendous potential in enhancing this experience. He plans to work closely with employee teams and the dealer network because he believes that working together is the best way.
While it will take some time for the details of his plans to be shared, it is already clear that Starrs will focus on community, brand culture, and business growth in the pursuit of urban adventure. His vision is to bring new life to Harley-Davidson and help make sure it stays the world’s most wanted motorcycle brand.
Summary
To sum up, Harley-Davidson has chosen Artie Starrs as its new CEO. This comes at a time when the brand is facing some hard sales periods. Artie Starrs has worked with lifestyle and food brands like Topgolf and Yum! Brands. He brings in a new way of thinking, which could help Harley get back on track in the market. As he steps into this job, the way he leads, the choices he makes, and what he has done before will all be important to fix the problems the company faces now. This will also help set a better path for the future.
If you want to know more about what the Harley-Davidson organization looks like and a deeper dive into Harley's operations and decision makers, book a free talk with our team to get more tips and help.
Source Links:
https://www.harley-davidson.com
https://www.databahn.com/products/harley-davidson-org-chart-and-sales-intelligence-report
