William Kim to Lead Project B Lifestyle Strategy Merging Basketball and Fashion

Project B named William Kim Chief Lifestyle Officer and tasked him with building its premium lifestyle business, a strategic hire announced February 19, 2026 that charges Kim with merchandise, brand collaborations, and cultural partnerships as the company scales across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Kim arrives with three CEO posts on his résumé and a string of senior roles, positioning Project B to marry basketball with fashion and commerce.

Project B frames itself in two complementary ways in the announcement: as “a global basketball platform positioning sport as cultural content and lifestyle” and as “an elite global women’s and men’s basketball grand prix built for a new generation of athletes and fans.” The dual description underlines Project B’s intent to sell more than games; it aims to sell identity, city-based collaborations, and seasonal collections tied to the tour’s host cities.

Kim’s remit is sweeping and specific. The release states that “Kim will lead Project B’s premium lifestyle business across merchandise, brand collaborations, and cultural partnerships as Project B expands across Europe, Asia, and the Americas to create the most premium cultural platform in global sport.” That scope names merchandising, strategic collaborations, and cultural programming as core levers for growth in multiple continents.

Product direction is clearly articulated: “He will oversee the development of high-quality performance apparel for athletes using natural fibers, elevated collections for fans, and brand collaborations tied to host cities and culture-defining partners.” The choice to foreground natural fibers and “high-quality textiles” signals a deliberate distance from commodity athletic synthetics and suggests premium pricing, curated materials, and partnership-driven capsule drops aligned with event locales.

Technology and commerce are central to the brief. The announcement explains that “He will also shape an AI-driven commerce model built for a streaming-first, social-native platform, ensuring that product, distribution, and brand experience operate cohesively across markets.” That places Project B’s merchandise roadmap inside a direct-to-consumer, algorithmically optimized funnel integrated with live or streaming content aimed at social-native audiences.

William Kim’s resume anchors the hire. The release describes him as a “fashion industry veteran” and notes he previously served as CEO of Shinsegae International, CEO of Rapha, CEO of AllSaints, Global EVP at Samsung Mobile, SVP at Burberry, and held executive roles within Gucci Group. The announcement adds that “Kim brings extensive international experience in brand building, retail innovation, and cultural strategy, with a track record of elevating global businesses at the intersection of sport, fashion, and consumer experience.”

The appointment is presented as a signal of intent: as Project B expands internationally, the company says the hire “signals the company’s commitment to building a global cultural platform that will outfit players and fans in the very best natural fibers and high-quality textiles.” The release does not specify a start date, compensation, partner brands, or product launch timelines, leaving the immediate calendar for apparel drops and the architecture of the AI commerce system as the next items to watch as Project B executes its lifestyle strategy.