C.J. King named general manager of North America Sport for Helly Hansen

Apparel group Kontoor Brands has appointed C.J. King as general manager of North America Sport for Norwegian outerwear brand Helly Hansen, effective August 31, 2026.

In this role, King will oversee all aspects of the sport business for Helly Hansen in North America, including commercial strategy and marketplace execution. King will join the Helly Hansen leadership team and report directly to senior vice president and global head of Helly Hansen, Børre Hegbom.

Hegbom stated that King brings a proven ability to lead high-performing commercial organisations, build deep connections with technical outdoor consumers and translate premium brand strength into sustainable growth. Hegbom added that the experience of King will be instrumental as the group strengthens the position of Helly Hansen in the US, which remains the largest outdoor market globally.

King joins the brand from Canadian technical apparel brand Arc’teryx, where he spent 10 years in executive positions, including vice president of North American wholesale, vice president and general manager of North America, and vice president of global commercial operations. During his tenure at Arc’teryx, King managed both wholesale and retail distribution channels across North America while supporting the global omnichannel strategy of the brand.

Prior to his time at Arc’teryx, King held progressively senior leadership roles across merchandising and marketplace strategy at several global outdoor and athletic brands, including performance brand Smartwool, Japanese athletic label Pearl Izumi and outdoor apparel brand The North Face.