Woman Takes Helm Of Quebec's Cannabis Retail Monopoly And More Industry Changes

Governmental Cannabis Retailer Welcomes First Female CEO

The governmental cannabis retail monopoly in the Canadian province of Quebec, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), has a new president and CEO.

Suzanne Bergeron will take up her duties on Nov. 27.

She has more than two decades of experience in strategic management, talent development and strategic planning of executive succession, having worked at worked at Sodexo.

Bergeron holds a McGill-HEC Montréal Executive MBA, governance training from the IGOPP (Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations) and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Cornell University.

Morocco Takes Charge Of Cannabis Regulations With New Director

In October, Moroccan King Mohammed VI named Mohamed El Guerrouj as the general director of the Morocco National Agency for Regulating Cannabis Related Activities (ANRAC). El Guerrouj has been temporarily in this role since September 2022.

King Mohammed VI and a council of ministers convened on Oct. 19 to address matters including the Morocco 2024 Finance Bill, international agreements and official appointments, reported by Morocco World News.

El Guerrouj began his career in 1991 at SOGETA, where he served as the deputy director for the Technical Department, followed by multiple high-ranking positions in the country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.

New Leadership At Massachusetts Cannabis Commission

Back in the U.S., the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) recently named new Chief People Officer Debra Hilton-Creek as its acting executive director, until Shawn Collins gets back from a parental leave, reported NBC Boston.

The leadership change comes on the heels of the state treasurer Deborah Goldberg suspending Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) chair Shannon O'Brien in September, whose appointment she made a year ago.

Key Marijuana Content Officer Steps Down From Denver-Based Marijuana Media Company

Meanwhile, Pamela Moore, the chief content strategy officer for Denver-based marijuana media company Marijuana Business Daily, owned by Emerald Holding, Inc. EEX, stepped down from her role after four years.

Moore said she resigned to devote more to her family, stressing that the choice is purely personal and has no connection to her professional endeavors, reported MJBiz.

Cannabis Board Shake-Ups

Several companies in the space are makiung board changes to bring fresh perspectives and strategies to drive growth and innovation.

• Greenway Greenhouse Cannabis Corporation GWAY GWAYF announced the results of its recent annual general meeting. The cultivator of high-quality greenhouse cannabis for the Canadian market reported that at its meeting, shareholders voted in favor of re-electing Jamie D'Alimonte, Carl Mastronardi, Darren Peddle, Dennis Staudt and Marty Komsa as directors of the company’s board.
• California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis company StateHouse Holdings Inc. STHZ STHZF said Marc Ravner resigned from the company’s board of directors effective Oct. 20 to pursue other opportunities. TransCanna Holdings Inc.’s TCAN TH Joshua Baker also resigned as a member of the company’s board of directors.
• Glass House Brands Inc. GLAS GLAS GLASF GHBWF appointed former California Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez as the newest member of its board of directors, replacing Robert Hoban. As founder and principal of Double Nickel Advisors and California's 68th speaker of the Assembly (2010-2014), Pérez brings a wealth of legislative and political experience to the Long Beach-based company.
• Doris Bitz agreed to the Rubicon Organics Inc.’s ROMJ ROMJF board last month, after receiving security clearance from Health Canada and following the approval by the company’s shareholders at the annual general meeting earlier this year.
• Greenlane Holdings, Inc. GNLN reported in October that Jeff Uttz stepped down form the board of directors, allowing Gina Collins to assume the role.
• Flora Growth Corp.’s FLGC Hussein Rakine recently resigned from his role as board director but will continue to serve as a special advisor to the company.
• Cannabis extracts maker Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. OILS OILFF (FSE: L0MA)  appointed Sam Kassem, CFA, BBA to lead its finance department, succeeding Kevin Keagan, who will remain a member of the board. The company also added Emma Andrews, interim CEO, to its board of directors.

Photo: Courtesy of geralt, lindsayfox Pixabay

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