Home Industries Manufacturing Former BRP exec named new CEO of LiveWire Group

Former BRP exec named new CEO of LiveWire Group

Karim Donnez
Karim Donnez

LiveWire Group, a publicly traded electric motorcycle company spun off from Harley-Davidson, has named a new chief executive officer to replace Jochen Zeitz.

On Monday, LiveWire announced the appointment of Karim Donnez to the role of CEO, beginning June 12. Zeitz, who is serving as CEO for an agreed period, will remain chairman of LiveWire.

Donnez was most recently president of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.’s Marine Group. He held several other roles with Quebec-based BRP since 2015, including senior vice president of strategy, business development and transformation.

Prior to joining BRP, Donnez held leadership positions at London-based Rio Tinto, most recently serving as general manager of refinery and energy for Rio Tinto Kennecott, where he oversaw business transformation initiatives as part of corporate global functions.

“Having successfully stood-up LiveWire as a brand and listed the company on the NYSE, I’m excited to pass the baton to Karim and to welcome him as LiveWire’s new CEO, following an extensive global search process,” said Zeitz. “Karim is an entrepreneurial business leader with a demonstrable track record of driving transformational growth through both strategy development and implementation. The board and I look forward to Karim realizing the potential of LiveWire, as we continue on the company’s journey to lead the electrification of the sport.”

Ashley covers startups, technology and manufacturing for BizTimes. She was previously the managing editor of the News Graphic and Washington County Daily News. In past reporting roles, covering education at The Waukesha Freeman, she received several WNA awards. She is a UWM graduate. In her free time, Ashley enjoys watching independent films, tackling a new recipe in the kitchen and reading a good book.
LiveWire Group, a publicly traded electric motorcycle company spun off from Harley-Davidson, has named a new chief executive officer to replace Jochen Zeitz. On Monday, LiveWire announced the appointment of Karim Donnez to the role of CEO, beginning June 12. Zeitz, who is serving as CEO for an agreed period, will remain chairman of LiveWire. Donnez was most recently president of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.’s Marine Group. He held several other roles with Quebec-based BRP since 2015, including senior vice president of strategy, business development and transformation. Prior to joining BRP, Donnez held leadership positions at London-based Rio Tinto, most recently serving as general manager of refinery and energy for Rio Tinto Kennecott, where he oversaw business transformation initiatives as part of corporate global functions. “Having successfully stood-up LiveWire as a brand and listed the company on the NYSE, I’m excited to pass the baton to Karim and to welcome him as LiveWire’s new CEO, following an extensive global search process," said Zeitz. "Karim is an entrepreneurial business leader with a demonstrable track record of driving transformational growth through both strategy development and implementation. The board and I look forward to Karim realizing the potential of LiveWire, as we continue on the company’s journey to lead the electrification of the sport.”

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