Bergans of Norway appointed Cathrine Stange, an outdoor industry veteran, as its next CEO. In August, Bergans announced that Silje Garberg Ree was stepping down as CEO at the end of the year to become CEO of Brav, which owns the Swix, Lundhags, Helsport and Toko brands.
Ree led Bergans for two years.
Stange, who will assume her new role on October 1, was most recently interim CEO at Brav since August 2026. From November 2023 to August 2026, she served as CEO of Janus Wool (Janusfabrikken AS), one of Europe’s oldest and largest manufacturers of wool underwear. Prior roles also include nine years as CEO of Devold of Norway, a Norwegian manufacturer of knitted wool garments.
“We look forward to welcoming Cathrine as CEO of Bergans. The company has undergone a significant transformation in recent years and is now entering a new phase in which we will strengthen profitability and the Bergans brand, while further developing our international business. Cathrine brings extensive leadership experience from strong brands and retail businesses in Norway and Europe, including many years as CEO of the Devold Group. She also has broad experience from Janus, REMA 1000, Reitan Servicehandel and ExxonMobil. Her combination of commercial expertise, strong understanding of brand development and proven leadership gives us confidence that Cathrine is the right person to lead Bergans,” said Petter Schouw-Hansen, chair of the board of Bergans.
“Bergans is a fantastic brand with a long and rich history and a unique position in outdoor apparel and equipment. This provides a strong foundation for the future, and I look forward to embarking on this journey with great respect for what has been built, together with the talented people at Bergans, our valued partners at Sport Holding, our committed owners and, not least, our customers in Norway and internationally,” said Stange.
Image courtesy Bergans of Norway
