James Gideon

James Gideon currently serves as the Vice President of Merchandising & Planning at Roots since 2024, where responsibilities include leading the Merchandising and Buying team and the Planning and Allocations team to create a unified go-to-market strategy. Prior to this, James held various roles at adidas from 2011 to 2023, culminating in the position of Vice President (Head of) Product Merchandising, where the focus was on developing the Go-to Market plan for Canada and aligning it with global strategies. Additional experience at adidas includes serving as Category Director, Senior Manager of Marketing Operations, and Senior Product Manager for licensed sports categories. Earlier career roles include positions at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Royal & Sun Alliance. James holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Sports and Event Marketing from George Brown College, supplemented by training in creating a culture of inclusion and workplace inclusion from adidas.