MJBizMag February 2021 - 70

IndustryPlayers | New Hires & Promotions
By Omar Sacirbey
A look at some recent
hiring moves in the
marijuana industry
Former Coca-Cola Exec Joins
Board of Acreage Holdings
W
hen executive
recruitment
firm Heidrick &
Struggles approached
Katie Bayne, who spent
28 years in executive
posts with the
Coca-Cola Co.,
about joining the
board of directors
of New York-based
multistate operator
Acreage Holdings, she
knew little about the
cannabis industry.
But Bayne was
attracted to the " dynamic growth in this emerging
market " and the " power of the leadership team "
at Acreage, making the opportunity something she
didn't want to pass up.
The position at Acreage is Bayne's fifth
board-others include The Honest Co., Jessica
Alba's beauty and baby-care business; and Ascena
Retail Group, which owns Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant
and other major apparel brands.
When Peter Caldini, a former Pfizer executive,
joined Acreage as its new CEO, Bayne said it was
another big draw. (See next item for details about
Caldini's new post.)
" I think he's a terrific choice for CEO because of
his relevant experience. We speak very frequently, "
Bayne told Marijuana Business Magazine.
Bayne plans to leverage her marketing, operations
and beverage expertise in the new role at Acreage.
" The potential for growth in beverages for
Acreage-especially with our Canopy (Growth)
partnership on brands and (intellectual property)-is
unparalleled. So I'm sure that will be helpful for me to
be effective as a contributor, " she said.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has scuttled facility
visits for now, Bayne is learning about the cannabis
business from her new Acreage colleagues.
" A critical aspect of a high-functioning board is
having a board-orientation process, " she said. " We're
underway there, so that you get full exposure to all of
the different plans and thinking of the key leaders. "
Acreage Hires Former Pfizer Exec as CEO
Multistate marijuana company Acreage Holdings
in New York appointed health-care and consumer
packaged goods veteran Peter Caldini as its chief
executive officer.
Caldini served as president of Pfizer North
America-Consumer Healthcare and regional
president-consumer healthcare for Europe, the
Middle East and Africa during his time with the
pharmaceutical giant. Before joining Pfizer, Caldini
held leadership positions in global markets while at
Bayer Consumer Health and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Caldini started his career in brand management at
Unilever, where he held various roles with increasing
responsibility. More recently, he worked as CEO of
Bespoke Capital Acquisition Corp.
Former 4Front CEO Joins Bengal Capital
Bengal Capital, a team of investors and founders
who have been in the cannabis industry since 2010,
announced that Josh Rosen joined the Los Angelesheadquartered
firm as a managing partner. He is
co-founder, former CEO and current chair of 4Front
Ventures, a Phoenix-based MSO.
Rosen helped transform 4Front from a consulting
firm formed in early 2011 into an operationscentric
multistate operator, most notably with the
acquisition of Cannex Capital in 2019.
Jerry Derevyanny, who was executive vice
president of corporate development and general
counsel at Cannex Capital and then 4Front, also
joined Bengal Capital as a principal. Derevyanny,
who is based in Seattle, previously served as general
counsel of Northwest Cannabis Solutions and
subsequently helped found, take public and head
corporate strategy for Cannex Capital.
Australis Taps Booth as CEO, Gets New CFO
Eleven months after stepping down as CEO of the
Canadian marijuana giant he co-founded, former
Aurora Cannabis chief executive Terry Booth is
returning to the industry to head up a U.S.-based
cannabis investment firm, Australis Capital, an
Aurora spinoff located in Las Vegas.
Australis Capital also appointed Jon Paul as its
new chief financial officer. Paul formerly was CFO
at Plus Products, a publicly traded infused edibles
company operating in California and Nevada.
Florida Operator Hires iAnthus Production Vet
Liberty Health Sciences, a Florida-based cannabis
producer, hired Darrin Potter as vice president of
70 Marijuana Business Magazine | February 2021
Katie Bayne
MJBizMag February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MJBizMag February 2021
