Charged Fleet Logo

Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr to Step Down March 31

Former Delta Airlines COO Gil West will succeed Scherr, previously a three-decade executive leader at Goldman Sachs, on April 1.

Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr to Step Down March 31

Scherr joined Hertz in February 2022 after spending nearly three decades at Goldman Sachs leading a range of strategic and operational functions. He departed the firm as chief financial officer in December 2021.

Photo: Hertz / Graphic: Bobit

3 min to read


After only slightly more than two years in his post, Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr will resign March 31, the company announced March 15.

Scherr will be succeeded by Gil West, former chief operating officer of Delta Airlines and GM's Cruise unit, starting April 1. West and Scherr will work together over the next several weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Ad Loading...

Scherr joined Hertz in February 2022 after spending nearly three decades at Goldman Sachs leading a range of strategic and operational functions. He departed the firm as chief financial officer in December 2021.

"We are appreciative of Stephen's contribution over the last two years, including on a number of key strategic initiatives, which Gil will now lead in their continued execution," said Tom Wagner, vice chairman of the Hertz Board of Directors, in a news release.

Although neither Scherr nor Hertz gave any official reasons for his resignation, the departure comes within a few months after Hertz announced a major pullback from its investment in electric vehicles and its largest quarterly earnings loss in three years. Hertz is shedding 20,000 EVs, which amounts to one-third of the EV fleet, due to high repair costs and customer resistance.

"Over the last two years, the Hertz team has worked diligently to put the company on track for long-term success in a changing automotive landscape," Scherr said in the release. "Hertz is well-positioned for the future, and I look forward to seeing the company execute on its strategy as a leader in mobility."

While at Goldman Sachs, Scherr was a principal architect and leader of the bank's new consumer business, helping to build Marcus by Goldman Sachs and leading the launch of AppleCard. In addition to his experience standing up a digital consumer business, Scherr has deep experience in building business partnerships.

Ad Loading...

West has served as COO of GM's Cruise unit since January 2021 and before then was the COO of Delta Airlines from March 2008 to October 2020. While at Delta, West was responsible for Delta’s worldwide operations, including 366 airports in 66 countries, 1,300 aircraft, 200 million customers per year, more than 70,000 employees, and a budget of $16 billion, according to his bio at theorg.com.

"Gil's experience as a successful leader in operationally intensive businesses will further strengthen [Hertz's] world class team of over 27,000 global employees who work tirelessly to deliver outstanding service to customers daily," Wagner said.

Added Colin Farmer, lead director of the Hertz Board of Directors: "Gil's success in leading over 70,000 people at Delta and orchestrating highly effective operational turnarounds will position him well to lead Hertz. He will be able to build upon the strategic projects begun during Stephen's tenure, including improvements to technology, commercial partnerships, and the revitalization of our value brands."

West said he looks forward to working with the Hertz team to build on its 106-year history of brand strength and customer loyalty.

Originally posted on Auto Rental News

More Electric Vehicles

Overview of fast-charging depot in downtown Santa Barbara with panoramic view of coastal mountains and ocean in the background.
Chargingby News/Media ReleaseJune 18, 2026

Electrify America Opens EV Fast Charging Station in Southern California

The large-format depot features 20 hyper-fast chargers capable of delivering 350 kilowatts and is backed by a powerful battery energy storage system.

Read More →
Photos of Laolu Adeola and Martin Romjue separated by large green and white headline text.
Chargingby Martin RomjueJune 17, 2026

Charging Gaps That Impede Electric Fleets

Find out why charger breakdowns can be so misleading, costing fleets time, money, and usage.

Read More →
Rendering of electric vehicles charging beneath a solar-panel canopy, illustrating Inspiration Mobility Group’s acquisition of Electrada assets to expand commercial fleet electrification services.
Suppliersby News/Media ReleaseJune 17, 2026

Inspiration Mobility Acquires Key Electrada Assets

Inspiration Mobility Group has acquired select assets of Electrada, adding the fleet electrification provider's team, technology, and charging infrastructure development capabilities to its energy management business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Vertical dark blue graphs showing new and used EV sales

Used EVs Strengthen Overall Electric Vehicle Market

The latest sales data point to several reasons for the divergent trends in new and used EVs that can factor into fleet cycling decisions.

Read More →
Man behind a steering wheel driving hands-free in a Lucid Gravity on the freeway.

Lucid Adds Hands-Free Highway Driving, Software Updates To Gravity SUV

Hands-free drive assist makes highway driving more comfortable while keeping drivers attentive to the road.

Read More →
A cream-colored flat vehicle platform that looks like the bottom half of a truck.

Harbinger Creates Hybrid-Electric Unmanned Vehicle Platform for Defense Use

The platform is based on the company's medium-duty plug-in hybrid chassis, which is also used in commercial vehicles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A schematic photo of a dark blue Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback in a soft gray structural background evocative of a futuristic parking deck.

Mitsubishi To Debut All-Electric Eclipse Subcompact For North American Market

The 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback is a small SUV that will go on sale by this fall.

Read More →
A red electric sports car positioned diagonally against a white gasoline coupe, like two fighters ready for a rivalry.
Operationsby News/Media ReleaseJune 5, 2026

Turo Launches Electric Vehicles vs. Gas Trip Cost Calculator

New free tool helps travelers compare fuel and charging costs side by side before they book, aimed at more affordable summer road trips.

Read More →
A chart showing average energy savings from using an EV.

EV Energy Savings Mount As Volatile Gas Prices Soar

Electric vehicle owners, including fleets, are saving increasing amounts by driving EVs instead of internal combustion engine vehicles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Vehicle inspector looking down the left side of a gray vehicle for any damage.
Hybridsby News/Media ReleaseJune 2, 2026

Hybrid Vehicle Collision Claims Hit Record High In Q1 As BEV Claims Flatten

The number of hybrids on the road is growing, indicating that overall electrification is evolving.

Read More →