Harley-Davidson (HOG) Board Member Resigns, Citing Serious Concerns

A member of Harley-Davidson’s (HOG) board has stepped down after raising "grave concerns" about the company’s direction in a letter addressed to the board of directors.

The motorcycle manufacturer saw its stock drop approximately 11% during Thursday morning’s trading session.

Jared Dourdeville, who served on the board on behalf of Harley's second-largest stakeholder, H Partners, outlined in his letter that the organization had suffered from "cultural depletion", a result of the exit of key executives and its adoption of remote work policies.

The letter also revealed that he had urged CEO Jochen Zeitz and two other board members to step down from their positions.

In a statement released Thursday, Harley-Davidson (HOG) said Dourdeville had opposed the board’s decision to decline an offer to appoint his preferred CEO candidate and had stepped down prior to a scheduled meeting that was meant to address his proposals.

Dourdeville has not yet responded to a comment request sent via LinkedIn.

Earlier in the week, the company had announced that Zeitz intends to retire in 2025 and would continue in his role until a successor is named.

Harley-Davidson (HOG) has faced difficulty in winning over younger consumers, while its primary demographic—baby boomers—continues to age. In an effort to maintain profitability, the firm has revamped its 2025 offerings to emphasize higher-margin Touring motorcycles and expand its custom bike division, aimed at wealthier clients.

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