Hertz Plans to Add 3 New Board Members
Hertz plans to add three candidates nominated by Carl C. Icahn, Hertz’s largest shareholder. Icahn has agreed to not run a proxy contest and to vote in favor of the Hertz’s nominees at the annual meeting.

Photo courtesy of Hertz Corp.

Photo courtesy of Hertz Corp.
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. has announced that it reached an agreement-in-principle with Carl C. Icahn and affiliated entities to appoint Vincent J. Intrieri, Samuel Merksamer and Daniel A. Ninivaggi to the company's Board of Directors as new independent directors.
In connection with the anticipated director appointments, three existing directors will retire from the Board, effective upon the appointments of the new directors, says the company.
In this connection, Icahn has agreed not to run a proxy contest at the Hertz’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and to vote in favor of the company's nominees at the annual meeting. Two of the new directors will be part of the five-person search committee, which will lead the search to find a permanent CEO of Hertz, according to the company.
Following the appointments and retirements, Hertz will have a nine-person board, with the board expanded to 10 directors upon the appointment of a CEO, says the company.
"I would like to thank the Hertz Board for acting so expeditiously in agreeing to appoint our three very capable nominees to the Board,” said Icahn. “Since I believe that the most important person at a company is the CEO, I'm especially happy that two of our three nominees will be on the five-person committee to find a permanent CEO.”
Under the agreement-in-principle, the Hertz’s shareholder rights plan will be amended to increase the triggering percentage to 20% and to implement other changes, according to the company.
"The Hertz Board believes that this outcome is in the best interest of the company and all Hertz shareholders,” said Linda Fayne Levinson, independent non-executive chair of the Hertz Board of Directors. “This agreement eliminates distraction and ensures that we stay sharply focused on delivering the significant potential of the business.”
More Rental Operations

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
