With over 20 years of experience in the sports industry, David Shoemaker is an accomplished global sports executive and a trusted name in the worlds of sports, business and law. David joined the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) in January 2019 after being named Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General.
David oversees the broad scope of operations of the Olympic Movement in Canada including national sport development programs, Team Canada preparation, Olympic bids and events, as well as the commercial and marketing arms of the organization. He works closely with the 52 national sport federations to provide the tools and support they need to develop the next generation of Olympians.
Before joining the COC, David spent seven years as CEO of NBA China. He had a highly successful tenure at the helm of the organization, leaving a legacy of record revenue growth, expanding marketing partnerships to unprecedented levels and spearheading the creation of the largest digital media partnerships in sports with Tencent. Under David’s leadership, the NBA’s popularity surged to new heights with over 640 million people watching NBA programming in China. David also played a pivotal role in bringing the Chinese Ministry of Education on as a strategic partner to teach basketball to millions of schoolchildren, launching a series of grassroots initiatives including several NBA Academies across China to develop top prospects.
David worked for seven years at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), serving as President from 2009 to 2011. He was instrumental in the global expansion of women’s professional tennis and was a member of the executive team responsible for the historic achievement of equal prize money for women at both the French Open and Wimbledon.
He spent seven years in New York City, practicing law at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Proskauer Rose LLP, where his clients included the National Hockey League, the Association of Tennis Professionals, Major League Soccer, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Florida Marlins.
David began his career in 1996 as law clerk to the Right Honorable Antonio Lamer, Chief Justice of Canada, following his graduation from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Toronto (Trinity College).
A native of Ottawa, ON, he currently resides in Toronto with his wife Jennifer and their three children. David also speaks three languages: English, French and Mandarin Chinese.
