Columbia Sportswear Company appointed Hyung-Rae (HR) Cho to serve as general manager of the company’s wholly owned Korea subsidiary, based in Seoul, effective immediately.
HR Cho, 53, brings more than 20 years of executive experience in the Korean market, having served the past six years as Levi Strauss & Co.’s general manager of Korea. During the nine years prior to Levi, he served as general manager of Korea for Gillette and its subsidiary, Braun. In each of those roles, he led the development and successful execution of profitable strategic brand, product and marketing plans, and nurtured strong relationships with customers.
“We are delighted to welcome HR Cho to the Columbia Sportswear family in a senior leadership role in one of the company’s largest markets,” said Bill Tung, Columbia Sportswear’s vice president of Latin America/Asia Pacific (LAAP), to whom Cho will report. “HR brings a wealth of experience in international brand and retail management and I am confident our brands will benefit from his vision and leadership.”
Tung continued, “We are extremely grateful to SR Cho for his dedicated service over the past 25 years. SR was the first employee hired by Gert and Tim Boyle to lead Columbia’s sourcing operations in Asia. In 1997, he started a modest sales department that has since established Korea as one of Columbia’s largest markets. SR leaves behind a tremendous legacy and a solid foundation for the team to carry forward.”
HR Cho added, “I am honored and energized by the opportunity to join Columbia Sportswear to pursue the growth potential of the company’s innovative outdoor brands.”
