Columbia Sportswear appoints new co-presidents as part of succession plans

Columbia Sportswear Company has named Peter Bragdon and Joseph Boyle as co-presidents of the group. The duo will take up their positions immediately.

Bragdon has been tasked with overseeing the company’s international businesses, as well as the Mountain Hardwear, prAna and Sorel brands. He will also continue his existing executive administrative and international distributor sales functions.

Bragdon has already served as an advisor and strategic leader at Columbia Sportswear since 1999, and has been credited with guiding the group’s “critical growth opportunities” and its international distributors across 74 countries.

His most recent position at the company was that of executive vice president, chief administrative officer, general counsel and secretary.

To support Bragdon’s transition, Richelle Luther will take on the role of executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel of the company. Jana Humble, meanwhile, has been appointed as senior vice president, chief human resources officer.

Moving away from his current position as EVP, Boyle will take over as president of the Columbia brand, continuing to oversee the label’s functions, including its North American business, assigned to him in the summer of 2025.

Prior to this latest role shift, Boyle, who has been with the company since 2005, had been involved in building up Columbia’s Project Accelerate strategy, which he intends to continue driving across the US market.

Bragdon and Boyle, whose appointments form part of broader succession plans among leadership, will work together to advance commercial opportunities, and will continue to report to Timothy Boyle, who retains the role of chairman and CEO.

In a statement, Boyle, who said he has spent most of his life “growing the company and its several brands”, commented: “As the company returns to growth, new opportunities will be developed, and enthusiastic leadership will be in place to take the company to the next level.”