BORIS RUGHAS
Ajax,Ontario
Summary
Dynamic merchandising professional with a proven track record at Decathlon, driving strategic initiatives that enhanced customer engagement and increased average basket size by 5%. Expert in visual merchandising and cross-functional team leadership, I excel in optimizing inventory and space while fostering team development to achieve operational excellence.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Zone Category Merchandiser - Americas Zone
Decathlon
03.2025 - Current
- Company Overview: Decathlon is a global sporting goods retailer that designs and sells a wide range of sports equipment and apparel.
- Led merchandising strategies across four countries, aligning regional execution with global product strategy, and Y+3 market growth goals.
- Designed and implemented end-to-end 'Go to Market' merchandising roadmaps, increasing category visibility, and driving customer engagement.
- Defined and optimized linear meter allocations and product presentation logic, leading to a +5% uplift in average basket size (YOY).
- Drove data-led consumer insights through surveys and market research to guide product range selection and in-store experience improvements.
- Built strong collaboration with global retail, product, and supply chain teams to ensure seamless integration, and timely rollouts.
- Contributed to the global selection process to ensure alignment of chosen offers with country-specific requirements, and stakeholder feedback.
Layout & Merchandising Referent - National
Decathlon Canada
01.2022 - Current
- Designed and implemented advanced visual merchandising layouts across six new store openings.
- Conducted national layout training programs, enhancing local store autonomy, and customer experience.
Commercial Dynamism Referent - National
Decathlon Canada
06.2021 - 03.2025
- Managed national-level commercial strategy development across various categories and regions.
- Conducted in-depth SWOT analyses, tailored commercial plans per catchment area, and deployed annual promotional calendars.
- Enabled a 20% increase in operational efficiency through resource optimization and cross-store benchmarking.
- Initiated and managed strategic partnerships, driving customer engagement via local events and sponsorships.
Customer Experience Leader / Store Team Leader
Decathlon
Scarborough
07.2023 - 02.2025
- Developed and tailored end-to-end customer journey strategies to align with store location and customer demographics, resulting in improved NPS and in-store satisfaction through personalized training and journey mapping.
- Created seasonal store mass plans and visual merchandising calendars, enhancing footfall and conversion rates.
- Recruited, trained, and coached team leaders, improving team retention and productivity metrics.
- Led customer feedback initiatives to enhance service quality and satisfaction.
Department Manager
Decathlon
Burlington
03.2021 - 07.2023
- Led commercial operations, inventory flow, and community engagement initiatives.
- Piloted business KPIs to adjust assortment, improve space efficiency, and enhance staff planning.
General Merchandising Associate
Walmart
Peterborough
07.2020 - 03.2021
- Supported inventory management and planogram execution for high-traffic departments.
- Ensured accurate CAD plan implementation, and improved shelf compliance.
Brand Ambassador / Product Trainer / Sport Advisor
Decathlon
India
06.2016 - 09.2019
- Company Overview: Decathlon is a global sporting goods retailer that designs and sells a wide range of sports equipment and apparel.
- Built national training frameworks for team sports categories, leading product training across multiple stores.
- Drove retail excellence through layout quality, commercial strategies, and exceptional team management.
- Recognized as a key driver of internal motivation and operational standardization.
Education
MBA - Marketing & Human Resources
Federal Institute of Business Studies
India01.2016
Bachelor of Business Administration -
KMM College
India01.2014
Skills
- Strategic Merchandising & Assortment Planning
- Business and KPI analysis
- Visual Merchandising & Layout Execution
- Commercial Strategy & Action Planning
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Inventory & Space Optimization
- Training, Development & Organizational Scaling
- SWOT
- Profitability Analysis
- Project Management: Store Openings
- Seasonal Launches
- Event Coordination
- HR Tools: Training & Development Programs
- Payroll Oversight
Awards Recognition
- Exemplary Omni Sport Leader
- National Commercial Dynamism Referent
- National Merchandising Referent
Timeline
Zone Category Merchandiser - Americas Zone
Decathlon
03.2025 - Current
Customer Experience Leader / Store Team Leader
Decathlon
07.2023 - 02.2025
Layout & Merchandising Referent - National
Decathlon Canada
01.2022 - Current
Commercial Dynamism Referent - National
Decathlon Canada
06.2021 - 03.2025
Department Manager
Decathlon
03.2021 - 07.2023
General Merchandising Associate
Walmart
07.2020 - 03.2021
Brand Ambassador / Product Trainer / Sport Advisor
Decathlon
06.2016 - 09.2019
MBA - Marketing & Human Resources
Federal Institute of Business Studies
Bachelor of Business Administration -
KMM College
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