Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz Recommends CFO Jonathan Root As Successor, Shareholder Says

Harley-Davidson Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jochen Zeitz identified Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jonathan Root as a potential successor after his planned retirement in 2025, according to a securities filing by shareholder H. Partners.

The filing comes amid a proxy battle between the investment firm and the motorcycle company, ahead of its May 14 annual meeting. H. Partners, which holds a 9.1% stake, opposes allowing Zeitz and key board members to influence future decisions. It also criticised the rejection of three external CEO candidates by the Board. Harley-Davidson said Root is already managing daily operations. Zeitz became CEO in 2020 and introduced the “Hardwire” plan, which H. Partners claims missed key targets.