On Monday,
Harley-Davidson announced the company’s board of directors has officially named
Arthur Starrs, current CEO of Dallas-based
Topgolf International, as the manufacturer’s next president and CEO.
Starrs will replace outgoing Harley-Davidson president and CEO Jochen Zeitz on Oct. 1. Zeitz notified the board in April of his interest in retiring from the company in 2025. He will remain an employee of the company through February 2026 and serve as a senior advisor.
Starrs, 48, joined Topgolf, known for its entertainment venues featuring a high-tech driving range experience with food and beverage offerings, in 2021. Prior to that he was the global CEO of Pizza Hut starting in 2019. Before assuming the role of CEO, he held positions as president, general manager, chief financial officer, and vice president of finance at Pizza Hut.
Starrs also previously served on the board of directors for Grubhub Inc. and currently serves as a board member for Dine Brands Global Inc. (the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop restaurants) and Five Iron Golf.
Starrs joined Topgolf just after it was acquired by Callaway Golf Brands in early 2021.
In 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Topgolf had $1.06 billion in revenue.
In 2022, the first full year under Starr's leadership, revenue reached $1.55 billion.
Topgolf reported $1.81 billion in revenue for 2024.
Lately, the Topgolf business has been hit hard by slowing consumer spending, according to
a Wall Street Journal report. This led to the decision to spin off Topgolf into its own entity, separate from Callaway Brands.
"Over the last 18 months, as the mid-income consumers become more stretched, Topgolf has begun to be perceived as relatively expensive. And in a slowing consumer environment, this is a significant," said
Chip Brewer, president and CEO of Topgolf Callaway Brands during the company's first quarter 2025 earnings call.”
With Starrs’ forthcoming departure, the spin-off has been delayed to 2026 instead of this year.
Starrs helped launch several initiatives aimed at boosting foot traffic in Topgolf’s 107 venues, including “Sunday, Funday” and “Topgolf Nights." These initiatives targeted price-sensitive consumers with deals on food and beverage offerings and play time at Topgolf venues.
"It's clear that our corporate events business is going to be challenged in the near term, and we have modified our operating structure accordingly," said Starrs. "Lead volumes are down significantly, but we are providing more flexibility on rate and time for event planners, which has led to increased conversion rates."
In the first six months of 2025, Topgolf revenue was down 4.2%.
As Starrs transitions to lead Harley-Davidson, he’ll once again be tasked with changing the direction of another struggling consumer brand.
The iconic motorcycle-maker
reported last week a second quarter revenue decrease of 19% compared to the same period a year ago. Global motorcycle shipments also decreased 28% for the quarter year-over-year.
Harley-Davidson’s revenue has decreased for the last three quarters, with company leadership continually citing softening consumer demand and economic uncertainty.
"It's a huge privilege to be joining Harley-Davidson as president and CEO, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help steward this incredible company," said Starrs in a Monday announcement. "I have long admired the unique position Harley-Davidson has in the hearts of its riders and fans; there is no brand that brings the same level of community and rebellious spirit as Harley-Davidson. I'm excited by the tremendous potential to both drive growth and further enhance the H-D experience for all, and I look forward to working with the dedicated Harley-Davidson employees and dealer network as we start this journey together."
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