Harley-Davidson names new CEO amid challenging times
Harley announces its next top man. Will he succeed where others have struggled?
Habeumus CEO. White smoke has risen from the chimney at Harley-Davidson headquarters in Milwaukee, and former Topgolf CEO Artie Starrs has been named as the MoCo’s future chief executive officer.
Starrs, 48, has also previously served in leadership roles at Pizza Hut and Rave Cinemas. According to a Harley-Davidson media release, he will take over from current CEO Jochen Zeitz on 1 October.
Starrs will be Harley’s third CEO in less than a decade, with the company suffering a slow decline in sales throughout that period.
"Artie is an accomplished business leader who brings extensive experience managing strong brands and global operations," said Troy Alstead, a member of Harley-Davidson’s board of directors.
As part of the leadership shuffle that comes with Starrs’ appointment, Alstead will become chairman of the board on 1 October.
"[Starrs’] track record of delivering top and bottom-line growth, combined with his experience in franchise driven industries, are both huge assets for Harley-Davidson at this time in the company's history,” added Alstead. “Artie understands the special place Harley-Davidson occupies in culture and in the lives of our riders. I'm confident that Artie can further enhance this connection with current riders while bringing new people into the H-D community."
Topgolf is a franchise of sports entertainment facilities where one can hit golf balls without having to stand in the rain or do any walking, drink beer, eat Buffalo wings, and, occasionally, throw your mate from a balcony. There are just four locations in the UK, but they are wildly popular in the United States; there are 14 locations alone in my home state of Texas.
Topgolf has more than 30,000 employees worldwide, and has been growing under Starrs’ leadership. A Harley-Davidson media release points out that “Topgolf's revenues grew over 50 per cent [during Starrs’ time as CEO], from $1.1 billion in 2021 to $1.8 billion annually, and the brand expanded into five additional countries across Europe and Asia.”
Very clearly, the MoCo will be hoping that Starr can work some of his magic on the 122-year-old motorcycling company. Harley-Davidson has been suffering a long period of disappointing sales results. From an outsider’s perspective, Starrs seems like he might have what it takes. In the United States, at least, both Topgolf and Harley-Davidson appeal largely to the same demographic: white males with a certain amount of disposable income.
It may be, however, that the Harley faithful will raise an eyebrow at the idea of yet another CEO who comes from outside of the world of motorcycling. Although I’m sure he’ll be learning tout suite, I can’t find any evidence that Starrs has ever even ridden a motorcycle.
In his Topgolf bio, Starrs is described as “an avid sports and outdoor enthusiast (who) enjoys hiking, playing golf, listening to live music and spending time with his family.”
No mention of motorcycles. Harley’s core audience will hate this.
Current CEO Zeitz has long been the target of core riders’ derision because he came to the role from Adidas, whereas most of his predecessors had been company men. People like Matt Levatich (2015-2020), who had been with Harley for 11 years before ascending to the CEO role. Starrs’ lack of deep roots within the industry will irk many Harley faithful.
Meanwhile, it seems Zeitz is keen to make a full exit from the company. Currently the CEO and chairman of the board, Zeitz will hand over his roles in October to Starrs and Alstead respectively, then remain as a senior adviser until February 2026, “to facilitate a smooth transition,” according to Harley-Davidson.
This all caps off a long period of boardroom drama at Harley-Davidson, during which Zeitz announced plans to retire, and board member Jared Dourdeville tendered his resignation via a scathing letter criticising the company’s leadership and direction.
Meanwhile, one wonders what effect all this will have on Harley’s recently announced plans to deliver a platform of affordable, entry-level motorcycles. The first of those, thought to be called the Sprint, is set to be revealed in October - right as Starrs is taking over. Is Zeitz handing Starrs a poison chalice? We’ll have to wait and see.
Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
