Harley-Davidson has appointed a new CEO and Chief Brand Officer who have previously promoted “woke” initiatives, even though the company has expressed intentions to move away from such approaches.
The new CEO, Artie Starrs, and Chief Brand Officer, Marcus Fischer, both have backgrounds at organizations that championed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies during their tenures, as noted by conservative activist Robby Starbuck.
Starrs and Fischer joined Harley-Davidson in 2025, following considerable backlash that led the company to announce a shift in its policies the previous year. This shift came after former CEO Jochen Zeitz retired, facing accusations of pushing a leftist agenda while overseeing declining sales. Starbuck played a role in instigating this policy reversal in 2024 through social media posts highlighting Harley-Davidson’s DEI efforts.
Starbuck, recognized for pushing major corporations to drop DEI initiatives, shared insights about Harley-Davidson on social media recently.
His activism has prompted numerous companies, including John Deere and Walmart, to rethink their progressive policies.
It’s time to expose Harley-Davidson… AGAIN! What I found reveals shocking stupidity. I now see @harleydavidson as hopelessly woke.
My previous videos exposing Harley resulted in a huge stock collapse and promises that they’d change, but… have they?
My investigation into their… pic.twitter.com/8rdE1do0Ny
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) June 3, 2026
According to Harley-Davidson, Starrs previously held CEO positions at Pizza Hut and Topgolf. Starbuck remarked on social media that Starrs has DEI policies entrenched in his work history at both companies.
At Topgolf, where Starrs was CEO, the company supported Pride events for the LGBTQ community and aimed to create an inclusive environment. They even endorsed a PGA LGBTQIA+ golf tournament to support San Francisco Pride.
During his time at Pizza Hut, Starrs oversaw the launch of resources aimed at combating racism, including initiatives where a queer man read to children.
Fischer, the Chief Brand Officer, has a background as CEO of the advertising agency Carmichael Lynch, which had programs targeting non-white individuals, as well as in-office events like a drag show, which raised considerable funds, according to Starbuck’s social media posts.
