zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Harley-Davidson's CEO Has It All To Do
Harley-Davidson's CEO Has It All To Do-August 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:41

Image for article titled Harley-Davidson's CEO Has It All To Do

After Harley-Davidson’s former CEO Matt Levatich was , Harley’s chairman Jochen Zeitz was appointed Acting CEO, while the company said it would name a permanent successor. Today, Harley that Zeitz, in fact, is its permanent choice for CEO.

Zeitz’s most relevant experience his 18-year term running Puma, the German shoe and sportswear company, where he is credited with turning around a failing company on the verge of bankruptcy. He’ll have to perform a similar trick at Harley, though the heavy motorcycle business is a little less robust than shoes and sportswear. (Harley, of course, also has its own line of branded apparel.)

Zeitz at least sounds confident.

Over the next few months, we will rewire the business and define a new 5-year strategic plan later this year. I will then oversee the implementation of these changes and reignite Harley-Davidson as one of the most revered and iconic brands in the world.

Zeitz says that he’ll also reorganize things in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

In alignment with the board, my decision to become the President and CEO of Harley-Davidson reflects my deep passion and commitment to this company. During this extraordinary time of crisis my first priority is the well-being of our H-D community as I execute our COVID-19 response plan efforts to stabilize the business, resume operations and recover. I am also leading a necessary and comprehensive overhaul of the company structure, operating model, and strategy as we adjust to the new post COVID-19 realities.

Zeitz’s that has strategy would be based around less of a focus on foreign markets, and a bigger emphasis on selling motorcycles in the U.S. That’s a pretty stark departure from that of Levatich, who for Harley to sell half of its volume overseas, up from about 40 percent.

The end result of Zeitz’s strategy in the near-term will probably be quite simply a leaner company, since heavy motorcycles sales have been trending down for a longtime as boomers grow smaller in number. For the long-term, Zeitz is probably betting pretty big on Harley’s electric motorcycles—Reuters he was a “force” behind LiveWire—though that market still largely remains more theoretical than anything else.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Lego 2K Drive Is an Open-World Physics Sandbox Masquerading as a Racing Game
Lego 2K Drive Is an Open-World Physics Sandbox Masquerading as a Racing Game
When a racing game developer talks up the authenticity of its driving model, you can typically assume the kind of experience they’re going for. More often than not, it’s a full-blown simulation, like iRacing or Assetto Corsa. At the very least, the title in question is at least based...
Aug 29, 2025
Get Ready for Your Car Insurance Rates to Rise, Again
Get Ready for Your Car Insurance Rates to Rise, Again
Experts predicted this year back in January and, at least for the nation’s two largest auto insurers, rates rose that much or more in the first quarter alone. And more rate hikes are on the horizon. While , the rate of customer claims are not. Insurance companies got away...
Aug 29, 2025
The 2024 Ford Mustang Is Already Facing Quality Issues, Production Slowdown
The 2024 Ford Mustang Is Already Facing Quality Issues, Production Slowdown
hasn’t even , and it’s already having a number of issues. Ford has reportedly cut worker shifts for United Auto Workers members at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant, according to the . Production was initially cut the week of April 24. Then was shuttered the week of May 1,...
Aug 29, 2025
Is Every Manual BMW Drivetrain Really So Similar?
Is Every Manual BMW Drivetrain Really So Similar?
BMW’s inline sixes are . The age of the 2JZ may be long gone, but the Bavarians have kept up the tradition of high-powered, overbuilt sixes ready to mod to your heart’s content. But, with so many options, how do you know which one to pick? Thankfully, . Jack...
Aug 29, 2025
Ford F-150 Lightning Production Ramping Up After Battery Fire, Door Handle Shortages
Ford F-150 Lightning Production Ramping Up After Battery Fire, Door Handle Shortages
is reportedly reopening the order books for its all-electric. According to , it’s the first step in the Blue Oval’s plan to scale production to 150,000 units per year. The news comes after yet on the line because of — and this is a weird one — missing door...
Aug 29, 2025
Dodge Chargers and Challengers Are Going Fast Before They're Gone
Dodge Chargers and Challengers Are Going Fast Before They're Gone
Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk are frenemies, auto lenders are worried, and Dodge. All that and more in this edition of for Monday, May 8, 2023. Dodge Challengers and Chargers with internal combustion engines because Dodge is the latest company to be caught up in...
Aug 29, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved