fbpx

X

Here’s What Tilray’s New Hires from Diageo & Coca-Cola Mean

Here’s What Tilray’s New Hires from Diageo & Coca-Cola Mean

Tilray has expanded its senior leadership team with four new hires, as the Canadian pot producer continues its aggressive push to expand internationally.

The Nanaimo, B.C.-based company said it hired former Nestle SA executive Greg Christopher as its new executive vice president of operations, where he will manage the strategic development and expansion of its cannabis supply chain.

Rita Seguin, a former senior vice president at Diageo’s North American operations, will be Tilray’s new head of human resources. She will be responsible for the company’s growing global team and recruiting talent from around the world.

Former Coca-Cola Co. counsel Dara Redler was named as Tilray’s new general counsel. In her new role, Redler will “oversee the strategic global growth of Tilray and all its subsidiaries with the legal team and work cross-functionally with all teams within the organization,” according to a company press release.

While former Starbucks Corp. vice president Charlie Cain was appointed as its new vice president of retail to oversee the development of the company’s North American retail strategy. The company said that Cain will bring, “innovation, and operations experience” to develop Tilray’s retail strategy.

Greg Christopher, Rita Seguin, Dara Redler, Charlie Cain

“We are pleased to have these experienced leaders join our team as we continue to disrupt the global pharmaceutical, alcohol, CPG and functional food and beverage industries,” says Brendan Kennedy, Tilray CEO. “Greg, Rita, Dara, and Charlie come to Tilray with robust expertise in their respective fields and we look forward to their contributions as we pioneer the future of cannabis around the world.”

The recently hired senior execs not only bring expertise to Tilray’s growing global leadership team but will also aid the company in its global expansion strategy.

It follows a December announcement of a partnership between the pot-producer and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Tilray struck the $100-million joint venture with the world’s largest brewer in order to research cannabis-infused non-alcoholic beverages in the Canadian market.

 “With strong track records of responsible product development and marketing in their respective industries, AB InBev and Tilray believe that the legal market for THC and CBD beverages will only thrive if the industry embraces appropriate regulation of adult-use cannabis, including responsible production, marketing, sale and consumption,” the companies said in a statement.

Also in December, the company signed a collaboration agreement with Sandoz AG, a subsidiary of the Novartis pharmaceutical group, to strengthen its medical marijuana business around the world.

As the number of countries and regions that have legalized medical and recreational cannabis continues to grow, the series of moves are viewed as part of a strategic plan to increase the availability of Tilray products globally.

Currently, the company has products available in 12 countries, spanning five continents, with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Latin America, and Portugal.