Harley-Davidson CFO to step down, joins toymaker Hasbro

By Bianca Flowers and Pratyush Thakur

(Reuters) -Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc said on Wednesday Chief Financial Officer Gina Goetter was leaving the company at the end of April, and toymaker Hasbro Inc said she would take over as its finance chief.

Harley issued a statement saying that Vice President, Treasurer David Viney will serve as interim CFO after Goetter’s departure on April 28.

Shares of the company were down 2.8% in extended trading after falling more than 6% on Wednesday.

Goetter was appointed CFO in September 2020 and played an integral role in Harley’s restructuring plan, called “Rewire,” to phase out less popular bike models and simplify its business strategy by catering to an older customer base.

Before joining Harley, Goetter held top finance roles at meat company Tyson Foods Inc and cereal maker General Mills Inc.

The company did not respond to a request for additional information.

After cutting hundreds of jobs in 2020, Harley has either beaten or met Wall Street earnings forecasts in recent years, while navigating high inflation and supply chain constraints. The company benefited from strong demand for leisure purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hasbro said Goetter will assume the role as CFO on May 18, succeeding Deborah Thomas at the company that makes Transformers action figures.

(Reporting by Pratyush Thakur in Bengaluru, Bianca Flowers in Chicago, and Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)