• H Partners blames Zeitz's leadership for a significant decline in Harley-Davidson's market value and cultural issues. • The investor group launched a "withhold-the-vote-campaign" targeting Zeitz and two long-serving board members. • This action follows H Partner representative Jared Dourdeville's resignation from the board over similar concerns. Harley-Davidson Inc.'s second-largest investor has urged shareholders to remove three directors from the board and to fire CEO Jochen Zeitz, holding them accountable for Harley's lackluster performance in recent years.

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information

FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

Investment firm H Partners has urged Harley-Davidson’s shareholders to remove three directors from the board, including its CEO, holding them responsible for the company’s declining sales and falling stock price. H Partners, the iconic American brand’s second-largest investor with a 9.1% stake, made the latest move days after the firm called on CEO Jochen Zeitz to step aside immediately. Zeitz, who became the CEO in 2020, is expected to retire this year but has said he would stay until a replacement was found. Harley, currently valued at $2.7 billion, has...

A major shareholder in Harley-Davidson is calling for significant changes to the company's board, arguing CEO Jochen Zeitz and two other long-time members should be removed. H Partners Management said Wednesday it was asking other Harley-Davidson shareholders to cast "withhold" votes at the upcoming shareholder meeting in May when the re-election of Zeitz and two other board members, Thomas Linebarger and Sara Levinson, goes up for a vote. The firm's stake in the motorcycle company amounts to approximately 9.1%.

Harley-Davidson’s future is blurry after one of its largest shareholders called for a shake-up of the motorcycle maker’s board of directors. Harley-Davidson Inc. continues to face a rough road ahead as one of its largest shareholders said Wednesday the current board of directors of the company is not qualified to pick the iconic American motorcycle maker’s next chief executive. H Partners, an activist shareholder that has shaped the paths of mattress maker Tempur-Pedic and Six Flags Entertainment Corp. FUN, said Wednesday it plans to vote against three board members at...

A large Harley Davidson shareholder has kicked off a campaign to remove three members of the motorcycle maker's board, confirming an earlier report from The Wall Street Journal. H Partners, an investment firm with a roughly 9% stake in Harley-Davidson, said Wednesday morning that it is urging shareholders not to reelect three incumbent directors, including Chief Executive and Chairman Jochen Zeitz. The firm is pushing for an accelerated departure of Zeitz from his top roles, calling him an absentee leader who shouldn't be making long-term decisions for the company after...