Harley-Davidson Board Member Resigns, Citing Leadership and Governance Concerns

Harley-Davidson Inc. announced the resignation of board member Jared Dourdeville, who served on both the Human Resources and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. In his resignation letter, Dourdeville cited concerns related to succession planning, governance, company culture, and commercial execution.

The company responded by highlighting that Dourdeville had historically supported board decisions, including CEO succession discussions, until he disagreed with the board's decision not to appoint his preferred CEO candidate. Harley-Davidson noted that Dourdeville called for the resignation of three directors on April 1 and resigned before a planned board meeting on April 7 to address his concerns.

The company emphasized progress on its five-year Hardwire strategic plan, improved employee engagement, record-low turnover, and continued efforts to adapt to industry headwinds. It also denied several points made in Dourdeville's letter, stating that he had not previously raised those concerns during his three-year tenure.

Harley-Davidson reaffirmed its commitment to shareholder interests and stated it will continue engaging with H Partners, Dourdeville's affiliated firm. The board remains focused on selecting a new CEO and executing the company's strategic goals.