It’s now official. According to aHarley-Davidson press release,Jochen Zeitz is now the President and CEO of the American motorcycle manufacturer. Zeitz will also continue as the company’s Chairman of the Board. Before being named Chairman, President, and CEO, Zeitz served as a member of the Harley-Davidson Board of Directors. Zeitz is known to be the leader of the MoCo’s Brand and Sustainability Committee.

Jochen Zeitz

His prior experience includes 18 years as the Chairman and CEO of Puma. He helped that company emerge from near-bankruptcy to become a leading provider of sportswear worldwide. The MoCo hopes that Zeitz will be able to help Harley become successful once again.The MoCo is currently in a difficult financial position as sales have weakened for four years in a row.

Opening remarks

Upon his appointment, Zeitz had this to say:

“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. 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.”

So Harley now has a new captain at the helm.His new strategy is vastly different from that of his predecessor, Matt Levatich. Do you think Zeitz can turn Harley-Davidson around? Let us know in the comments below.