Herc Holdings names Aaron Birnbaum CEO, Lawrence Silber to become executive chairman
Herc Holdings said President Aaron Birnbaum will succeed Lawrence Silber as chief executive officer effective January 1, 2027, as part of a planned succession, and Silber, CEO since 2015, will become executive chairman. The filing also sets out the pay the company expects to provide to both executives and names Michael A. Kelly as Lead Director, which shapes how the board will be led after the transition.
Key points
- Aaron Birnbaum, age 60, becomes CEO and will also remain President; he has been President since January 1, 2026 and was Chief Operating Officer from January 2020 to December 2025
- Birnbaum expected annual base salary of $975,000, target bonus of 125% of base salary, and a 2027 long-term equity award with grant date fair value of approximately $4,250,000
- Silber expected annual base salary of $600,000, target bonus of 120% of base salary, and a 2027 long-term equity award with grant date fair value of $3,000,000
- Michael A. Kelly elected Lead Director and Patrick Campbell moves from Board chairman to independent director, both effective January 1, 2027
The filing
Written by AI on Nov 9, 2026, 10:08 AM ET, from this filing only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on October 26, 2026.
Briefs are written by AI from the filing text and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the AI's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.