Harley-Davidson enters new era

Freshly appointed Harley-Davidson CEO Artie Starrs believes the famous American motorcycle brand has a community and rebellious spirit “like no other”. 

Starrs' arrival in Milwaukee comes after a lengthy search process to replace Jochen Zeitz, who announced in April that he would step down as CEO after five years. 

Zeitz’s time in the big chair was tumultuous, with the German-born executive battling the COVID-19 pandemic and falling sales, while also leading the brand into new categories with the Pan America and the X series. He also started the LiveWire electric motorcycle brand.   

Starrs has previous experience at Topgolf, Pizza Hut, Rave Cinemas, and as an investment banker. His most recent position was CEO for Topgolf International, where he managed a portfolio of 300 venues globally, and over 30,000 employees. 

Under Starrs’ leadership, Topgolf grew its revenue by more than 50 per cent from 2021 to 2025 and now pulls in around $1.8 billion USD, and he says he is “excited” by the potential of Harley-Davidson.

"It's a huge privilege to be joining Harley-Davidson as President and CEO, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help steward this incredible company,” said Starrs. 

“I have long admired the unique position Harley-Davidson has in the hearts of its riders and fans; there is no brand that brings the same level of community and rebellious spirit as Harley-Davidson.”

Starrs will also join the Board of Directors upon assuming the CEO role in October, while Zeitz will remain in a supervisory role until at least February 2026. This is to ensure a smooth transition for all involved.