Herc Holdings Inc., one of North America’s leading equipment rental suppliers operating through Herc Rentals Inc., today announced that, as part of the company’s planned leadership succession, Aaron Birnbaum, currently president, will succeed Larry Silber as CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Birnbaum will also continue in his role as president and will join the company’s board of directors at that time. Silber, who has served as CEO since 2015 and a member of the board since 2016, will transition to executive chairman of the board.

“Leading Herc Rentals over the past 11 years has been an honor and privilege, and I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished together,” said Silber. “Our success has been built on the dedication of our people, a relentless focus on our customers and a clear strategy for long-term growth. Aaron’s leadership has been key to that success, and I am confident that he is the right person to guide Herc Rentals into its next chapter.”

Birnbaum brings more than 35 years of experience with Herc Rentals and its predecessor business, Hertz Equipment Rental Corp. He was appointed president in January 2026 after serving as senior vice president and chief operating officer since 2020. Prior to that, he progressed within the company through numerous positions of increasing responsibility across operations, sales, strategic planning and M&A activities. Throughout his tenure, Birnbaum has played a significant role in shaping the company’s strategy, strengthening its portfolio and driving disciplined execution across the organization.

“I am honored to take on this role and grateful for the strong foundation Larry and our team have established,” said Birnbaum. “Having spent my career with Herc Rentals, I have tremendous confidence in our people and our strategy, and I have never been more energized by our technology, customer-focused solutions, and our execution. I look forward to building on our momentum, further strengthening our market leadership, and creating value for our customers, team members and shareholders.”

Silber guided company through transformation

“This transition reflects the strength of our succession planning process, and the high-performing culture Larry has fostered throughout his tenure,” said Patrick Campbell, board chairman. “On behalf of the board, I thank Larry for his exceptional leadership over the past 11 years. He has guided Herc Rentals through a period of significant transformation, including its 2016 spinoff to an independent public company, record expansion of its geographic reach and specialty rental capabilities, advances in customer-facing technologies, and the landmark acquisition of H&E Equipment Services. Aaron has been an integral part of that progress, and his strategic vision, operational expertise and proven leadership give the board great confidence in the company’s future.”

Concurrent with these leadership changes, also effective Jan. 1, 2027, Campbell will transition from chairman of the board to independent director and will continue to serve as chairman of the board’s Audit Committee. Michael Kelly, currently an independent director, will assume the role of lead independent director and continue as chairman of the board’s Nominating and Governance Committee.

Herc Rentals, No. 3 on the RER 100, is headquartered in Bonita Springs, Fla. Herc has 607 locations in North America.