Harley-Davidson has announced that Arthur “Artie” Starrs, former CEO of Pizza Hut, will take over as the company’s new CEO after the position remained vacant for several months.
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Jochen Zeitz announced his retirement in April, and since then Harley-Davidson had been searching for a new CEO. That search appears to be over, as the company confirmed that Starrs will assume the role soon.
Until now, Starrs served as CEO of Topgolf International, Inc., a subsidiary of Topgolf Callaway Brands. He joined the company in 2021 shortly after stepping down from his position as CEO of Pizza Hut.
Starrs began as vice president of business analytics and financial planning at Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, and worked his way up to global CEO of the renowned pizza chain.
Before working at Pizza Hut, Starrs was CFO and executive vice president of the cinema chain Rave Cinemas, prior to its acquisition by Cinemark.
“It’s a tremendous privilege to join Harley-Davidson as president and CEO, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help lead this incredible company,” Starrs said in a statement.
“I’m excited about the tremendous potential to drive growth and further enhance the H-D experience for everyone, and I look forward to working with the dedicated employees and dealer network of Harley-Davidson as we begin this journey together.”
Starrs will also join the Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson when he officially assumes the position in October, as Zeitz steps down. It’s worth noting, however, that Zeitz will remain in an advisory role until February 2026 to assist with the transition period.
Photo and video: Harley-Davidson / LinkedIn. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
