Colleen Batcheler, who led Hertz’s legal team for almost two years, is exiting the rental car giant. She will depart her position for a new role outside the company later this month, according to a recent securities filing, and she will remain with Hertz in a non-executive capacity until April 20 to ensure a smooth transition of her responsibilities.
Batcheler took on the role of legal chief at Hertz in May 2022, shortly after the company emerged from bankruptcy and amid numerous lawsuits from customers who were incorrectly accused of stealing its cars. As part of her employment compensation in 2022, Batcheler received a total sum of $6.6 million, including a $1 million sign-on bonus, relocation benefits valued at $121,990, and stock awards valued at $4.5 million, as indicated by regulatory filings.
Batcheler previously worked at Conagra Brands for 16 years, serving as general counsel for the last 13 of them. After leaving Conagra, some of her Hertz awards reportedly offset compensation she gave up. Batcheler also holds a board position at Hyster-Yale Group, an Ohio-based materials handling manufacturing company.
In December 2022, under Batcheler’s lead, Hertz achieved a milestone – settling 364 customer lawsuits to the tune of $168 million. These lawsuits originated from false accusations by Hertz of vehicle theft by innocent customers.
Hertz has yet to disclose its executive pay for 2023, and no immediate information is available regarding Batcheler’s departure from the company or her new role. Further details can be found in the original publication on Law.com.