Cannabis Movers & Shakers: Tyson 2.0, Akanda, Shryne Group, MedMen

Akanda Taps Dr. Aslihan Akkar-Schenkl As President

Akanda Corp., which recently spun off from Halo Collective Inc. HALO and now operates as an international medical cannabis company, announced Wednesday that Dr. Aslihan Akkar-Schenkl has joined its management team as president. Akkar-Schenkl is an experienced executive in the cannabis industry, a registered pharmacist and a European patent attorney,

In her new role, Akkar-Schenkl will be responsible for company-wide pharmaceutical strategy and operations, quality assurance, as well as legal and regulatory affairs.

In addition, she will work closely with Akanda's EU GMP processing and distribution partner Cantourage GmbH, based in Germany.

"With accomplished industry pioneers like Dr. Akkar-Schenkl on our team, we believe no company is better positioned to seize this emerging opportunity than ours," Tej Virk, CEO and director of Akanda said. "Together, we intend to build the world's leading supplier of medical cannabis and wellness products, with lasting benefits to all of our stakeholders – patients, employees, shareholders, and our communities."

Shryne Group Names New CLO

Cannabis holding company Shryne Group, Inc. disclosed Tuesday that it has named Cary Berger its new chief legal officer.

Berger will lead the legal function and advise the board and management on all legal, business, and policy matters as Shryne solidifies its position as one of America's leading cannabis companies, the Los Angeles-based company said.

With a wealth of experience across industries, Berger joins Shryne after serving as general counsel and chief administrative officer for Houseplant, a cannabis brand founded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

"Cary is that rare person who understands both the intricacies of cannabis law and more traditional corporate law and governance," Shryne CEO Jon Avidor commented on the appointment. "His experience and leadership will be crucial as we continue to expand both in California and in new states."

Tyson 2.0 Announces Company Board Of Directors

Tyson 2.0, a premier cannabis company formed with a legendary boxer Mike Tyson, announced the composition of its board of directors Tuesday.

The Orange county-based company said that the board consists of several cannabis industry and financial experts.

The former World Heavyweight Champ's latest venture into the cannabis space will produce and bring to market innovative, high-quality cannabis products known for their purity and precision at widely accessible price points.

Chad Bronstein, who is currently serving as CEO and founder of Fyllo and chairman of the board of Wesana, agreed to serve as board chairman.

Adam Wilks, CEO of Tyson 2.0, agreed to serve as vice-chair of the board. Prior to this, he served as CEO of One Plant and COO of the venture capital firm SOL Global Investments Corp. SOLSOLCF.

Other board members include:

Nicole Cosby, an attorney by trade and chief data and compliance officer of Fyllo Group and former senior vice president of standards at Publicis Group.

Adam Arviv, co-founder and member of the board of directors of Bragg Gaming Group BRAG and an experienced corporate investor specializing in emerging industries, including online gaming, hospitality and cannabis.

John Shahidi, entrepreneur, executive producer and president of Full Send by Nelk Boys and Happy Dad Hard Seltzer and co-founder of Shots Studios, a YouTube network for A-list talent and internet brands including Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Jake Paul, and Lele Pons.

Sammy Dorf, Esq., cannabis industry veteran and co-founder, president and chief growth officer of Verano Holdings VRNO VRNOF.

Andrew DeFrancesco, chairman and CEO of SOL Global Investments, a diversified investment and private equity holding company engaged in small and mid-cap sectors. In addition, Sol-Global is the lead investor in Tyson 2.0's Seed Financing.

"Tyson 2.0 aims to break the mold for how celebrity and cannabis intersect, and in order to achieve this goal, it is critical to have the guidance of business leaders who have built successful brands both inside and outside of the sector," Bronstein said. "The Tyson 2.0 board brings deep industry knowledge, remarkable leadership experience, and solid business acumen, and I look forward to their support."

MedMen Announces Board Shake-Up

Cannabis retailer MedMen Enterprises Inc. MMEN MMNFF recently reported it has strengthened its board of directors by appointing David Hsu and Ed Record, who replace Albert Harrington and Nicole Christoff, both of whom opted to step down.

Hsu is an expert in financial and operational turnarounds. He previously served as a COO of the Cronos Group Inc. CRON. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade consulting with Deloitte and CRG Partners.

Record has deep retail experience, overseeing financial and operational performance for several large national retailers. Prior to this, he oversaw the financial department at Hudson's Bay Company HBC.

"We are pleased to welcome David and Ed to MedMen's Board," Tom Lynch, executive chairman said. "They bring a wealth of experience in financial and operational turnarounds that will be invaluable to MedMen as we continue to execute against our growth plan."

Photo: Courtesy of David Gabrić on Unsplash