MJBizMag April 2023 - 47

Agra Ventures Makes
Interim Post Permanent
The board of directors of Agra
Ventures, a Canadian company with
diversified assets focused on the
cannabis industry, appointed Nick
Kuzyk as permanent CEO
and director.
" Based on his strong performance
as interim CEO and director over
the past six months, the board
has deemed it appropriate for Mr.
Kuzyk to continue in the roles, " a
news release announced.
Kuzyk previously worked as chief
strategy officer and senior vice
president of capital markets for
High Tide, a retail-focused Canadian
cannabis company. His experience
includes business development,
corporate finance, investor relations
and mergers and acquisitions.
Massachusetts Social Equity
Board Members Announced
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey
appointed Keisha Brice, Maeka
Brown, Chris Fevry, Aaron Goines
and Phil Smith to the Cannabis
Social Equity Fund Advisory Board.
The board members represent
various sectors of the cannabis
industry and locations across the
state. The new board will advise
the Executive Office of Housing
and Economic Development, which
administers the social equity fund.
Akanda Hires CFO
International medical cannabis
platform company Akanda
Corp., based in Ontario, Canada,
appointed Shailesh Bhushan as its
new chief financial officer. Bhushan
will report directly to Katharyn
Field, Akanda's interim CEO.
Bhushan's experience includes
chief accounting officer roles
for Halo Collective and Namaste
Technologies as well as accounting
experience with Transact Network
and Golden Leaf Holdings. Bhushan
has been designated a chartered
accountant from the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of India and
holds a master's in commerce from
Agra University.
Akanda's portfolio includes
Holigen, a vertically integrated
cannabis company in Portugal;
CanMart, a UK-based
pharmaceutical importer and
distributor; and Bophelo Bioscience
& Wellness, a GACP qualified
cultivation campus in the Kingdom
of Lesotho.
Chalice Brands Makes
New Board Appointment
Portland, Oregon-based cannabis
company Chalice Brands announced
the appointment of Gary Zipfel to
the board of directors.
Zipfel serves as capital partner
and board-level adviser to startup
companies, providing business
planning, strategic direction and
scenario analysis. Before becoming
a startup investor, he spent 15 years
in the global financial markets as a
technologist.
The company also appointed
" major shareholder " William
Simpson as an adviser to
the board.
Atlas Global Hires
CEO and CFO
International cannabis firm Atlas
Global Brands announced Bernie
Yeung would replace co-founder
Sheldon Croome as CEO.
Jason Cervi will serve as the
company's chief financial officer.
" Their executive appointments
are part of Atlas Global's transition
to a publicly traded company, "
the Ontario, Canada-based
firm said in a news release. The
company began trading on the
Canadian Securities Exchange on
Jan. 13.
Yeung has nearly 20 years
of experience in the cannabis,
Jason
Cervi
alcohol and consumer packaged
goods industries and is the former
senior vice president of sales and
marketing for Aphria and the newly
merged Tilray.
Previously, he was head of
marketing for Brown Forman, the
parent company of Jack Daniel's.
Cervi is a chartered professional
accountant with more than 20 years
of experience at publicly traded
global organizations.
Hired or promoted someone for a
senior-level position? Send a news
release or general information to
magazine@mjbizdaily.com.
mjbizdaily.com | April 2023 47
Bernie
Yeung
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MJBizMag April 2023

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