HELLY HANSEN-- Paul Stoneham will succeed Peter Sjölander as CEO

Oslo, Norway- Helly Hansen Group AS (Helly Hansen) announces CEO, Peter Sjolander will step down, and the appointment of Paul Stoneham as his successor effective 16th February 2015. Peter Sjolander has been the CEO of Helly Hansen (HH) for almost 8 years. In that time he has led the business through a successful turnaround during a time of difficult macros and into an expansion phase, taking the brand into new territories and product areas.

HH has made a successful transition from a Scandinavian based company with a mainly export/distributor based international business, to a truly global operation with subsidiaries throughout Europe, North America, and an expanding footprint in Asia. While Scandinavia remains a fortress of strength and a growing business for HH, the company has seen dramatic gains in the U.S. and Canada over the last two years. As a result revenues have more than doubled and the business has moved from making losses to being profitable.

In 2014 the company achieved market leading rates of growth and the 2015 order book reflects an accelerated growth for both brand and business, a thriving uniform program, and several successful additions to its customer base. “During the last 8 years Helly Hansen has not only radically grown its business and its global footprint, but it has also become recognized as the brand that perhaps better than anyone have merged form and function in its design and innovations.

Its ’Scandinavian design’ message has proven to resonate with consumers around the world and the HH business has never been stronger” says Sjolander “After 20 years in senior positions within the industry, I’ve decided that this is the right time to lead a somewhat different life. I’ll focus on taking a range of advisory and non-executive positions, as well as making tactical investments in non-competing private companies”.

“I am also looking forward to finding some more time to play in the great outdoors” says Sjolander. Peter will remain a strategic advisor to HH, a shareholder, a passionate HH ambassador and a demanding product tester. Paul Stoneham will succeed Peter as CEO from 16 February 2015 Paul is a successful and experienced CEO and global business leader. He has a noteworthy track record of building great brands, high performance organizations and companies that deliver industry-leading growth through breakthrough product design and innovation. Paul has operated in Helly Hansen’s key regions, having led international businesses for the past 17 years while having lived and worked in the USA, Germany, the UK, Canada and Switzerland.

For the past five years, Paul was CEO of ghd, a private equity backed prestige beauty care company. After rebuilding the company and doubling the business, he led the sale of ghd from Montagu Private Equity to Lion Capital. Prior to ghd, Paul was President of Global Business Development at Colgate-Palmolive, running the global categories. He also served as Managing Director of Boots Healthcare International where he led BHI to industry leading growth and US$1 billion in revenue while doubling profit, ultimately leading the record sale of the company to Reckitt Benckiser. Before BHI, he was President of Alberto Culver International after holding numerous brand/category management roles for Procter & Gamble in North America and Europe.

He holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario and a MBA from Harvard University. "Helly Hansen is an authentic, unique and dynamic brand with a deep 138-year history. I’m looking forward to joining the Helly Hansen team and helping them successfully build on this strong heritage.” says Stoneham. Paul will work closely with Peter through early February to take over the leadership of the company and begin building relationships with key stakeholders and staff. Ketil Eriksen, chairman of Helly Hansen AS says “We are enormously thankful for the passion, leadership and service that Peter has provided over the years. We’re extremely excited to welcome Paul on board, and look forward to supporting him as he takes HH to the next level”.

About Helly Hansen

Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop their apparel through a blend of Scandinavian design and insights drawn from living among some of the harshest environments on earth. The brand represents the optimal combination of performance, protection and style. Helly Hansen’s progressive designs continue to protect and enable professionals making their living on oceans and mountains around the world.

The company has a long list of first-to-market innovations including the first supple, waterproof fabrics more than 130 years ago, the first fleece fabrics in the 1960s, the first technical base layers made with Lifa® Stay Dry Technology in the 1970s and today’s award winning and patented H2Flow temperature regulating technology. Helly Hansen is the global leader in technical sailing apparel. It is also the official uniform partner for more than 60 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations and is worn by more than 33,000 mountain professionals around the world, as well as national ski teams, Olympians and discerning outdoor enthusiasts. The brand's outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear are sold in more than 40 countries.

To learn more about Helly Hansen's latest collections, visit www.hellyhansen.com.


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