Harley-Davidson CEO steps down

Levatich’s departure, announced on 29 February, ends an association with Harley-Davidson that covered 26 years and saw the New York born-and-raised executive hold a number of positions, both in the US and Europe, including Vice President and General Manager of the Motor Company’s Parts and Accessories business, and Vice President of Materials Management.

In May, 2009, Levatich was announced as President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson, followed by the CEO appointment in May, 2015.

The ‘More Roads to Harley-Davidson’ initiative was launched under Levatich’s tenure, as was the LiveWire electric motorcycle and various other initiatives aimed at expanding the Motor Company’s market share and drawing new, younger customers to the brand.
While those initiatives may yet bear fruit (barely a month before his departure, Levatich himself declared 2020 as a pivotal year in the company’s growth plans), the current state of Harley-Davidson is not healthy. Harley’s share price has dropped 46 per cent since Levatich’s appointment as CEO, while sales in the US (still Harley’s biggest market globally) have been in decline for the past five years, with 2019 figures the lowest in 16 years. President Trump’s ill-considered tariff wars with China and the European Union, as well as his response to Harley’s moves to shift production offshore to offset the impact of those tariffs, is believed to have negatively impacted both domestic and overseas sales in the same period.

“I am very fortunate to have spent many years with a company as revered as Harley-Davidson. The grit and determination of the employees and dealers and their passion for bringing our brand of freedom to people around the world has always been inspiring,” Levatich said in a statement.

“I am proud of what we have achieved during my time as CEO, in one of the most challenging periods in our history, and I am confident that the progress we have made on the More Roads plan will position Harley-Davidson for long-term success.”

Jochen Zeitz, a member of Harley-Davidson’s board since 2007 and former CEO of sportswear company PUMA, will serve as Acting President and CEO during an external search for a new permanent CEO. Levatich will assist in this process until the end of March.