MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced Victor M. (Vic) Koelsch will join Polaris in the newly created role of chief digital officer, beginning January 13. With both technology and customers’ digital expectations evolving faster than ever, Koelsch will own the digital strategy for the company. He will be responsible for accelerating Polaris’ development and integration of digital technologies into its products, services and experiences, as well as leading the creation of new business solutions and digital offerings. Koelsch will dual report to Polaris Chairman and CEO Scott Wine and Polaris Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mike Speetzen.
“We have been building industry-leading digital capabilities for several years and are excited for Vic to take our digital efforts to the next level and deliver more value to customers and shareholders. He has made a career of developing and implementing market-leading technology solutions, and we are excited for him to leverage that acumen to augment our existing initiatives and spearhead Polaris’ digital future,” said Wine. “We continuously evolve how consumers experience our brands, and Vic’s leadership will significantly enhance and accelerate that process.”
Koelsch joins Polaris with an extensive background in digital strategy, technology development, and connected product and service offerings, as well as general management. A seasoned executive, he possesses 30 years of digital and technology experience, most recently serving as president and chief executive officer of Exide Technologies, where he led a challenging turnaround of the company.
“I look forward to joining Polaris and leveraging my background in bringing innovative, digitally enabled business models and solutions to market that will drive significant transformation and impact across our business and deliver breakthrough value and new experiences for our customers,” said Koelsch.
Prior to his role at Exide, Koelsch held multiple roles with the Michelin Groupe including leading two of Michelin’s largest business units where he successfully deployed numerous new digitally enabled service offerings and business models. In addition, Koelsch served as Michelin’s first chief digital officer where he led the company’s digital strategy including development of digital services and assets and directly managing the company’s standalone digital businesses.
Koelsch earned an MBA from the University of Houston and his bachelor’s in computer science from University of Oklahoma.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. With annual 2018 sales of $6.1 billion, Polaris’ high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER, RZR and GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; snowmobiles; and deck, cruiser and pontoon boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket portfolio, including Transamerican Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in adjacent markets includes military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com.
