Executive Team

Tyler Robson, B.A. & Sc.

Chief Executive Officer & Chair of the Board

Mr. Robson has worked extensively over the last decade in cannabis science, focusing on research and development, proprietary extraction processing and medical application. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences degree specializing in biology, before returning to Kelowna to pursue his passion for the cannabis industry. Since joining the company in 2012 and moving from the role of COO to CEO in 2017, he has demonstrated his expertise in plant genetics and extraction processes, bringing the competitive advantage to develop and operate proprietary technologies exclusive to Valens. Mr. Robson has significantly scaled operations and increased profitability at The Valens Company since taking on the role of CEO, leading to the Company’s ability to capture market share and lead the industry as a major player in the supply chain of leading Canadian and international brands.

Sunil Gandhi, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Gandhi brings 25 years of corporate and operational finance experience largely in the consumer packaged goods and alcohol beverage industries, with a demonstrated track record in refining operations and supporting growth for both large public companies and high-growth private enterprises. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Trophy Foods Inc., a leading supplier of nut-based snacks, baking and confectionary products with operations in Canada and the US. In this role, he provided the strategic leadership to transform the operation and drive a business turnaround to achieve record profitability and improved employee engagement. Prior to that, Mr. Gandhi served as Vice President, Finance for one of North America’s largest private alcohol beverage companies, where he helped open new lucrative beverage categories and substantially increased profits over a three-year period. Throughout his career, Mr. Gandhi has received diversified exposure across all aspects of corporate finance, specializing in financial and strategic planning, M&A, cash flow management, risk management and compliance, in addition to demonstrated success in building high performance teams. Mr. Gandhi is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. He is also an active board member of FEI Canada.

Jeff Fallows, LLB/MBA, CFA

President

Mr. Fallows is an accomplished finance professional with over 18 years of experience working on a wide range of financial transactions in the cannabis, consumer products and industrial products industries including mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, private placements, and strategic reviews both domestically and internationally. He spent the last 10 years working with a number of cannabis companies to raise capital and has advised on some of the largest transactions in the sector. Prior to joining The Valens Company, Mr. Fallows was a Managing Director at AltaCorp Capital Inc. where he was the Head of Life Sciences and Diversified Industries investment banking teams. Mr. Fallows focuses on executing on domestic and international growth opportunities, capital markets strategy and assisting with the overall corporate strategy of the Company.

Chantel Popoff

Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Popoff was appointed Director of Operations in 2007, then Director of Marketing, for a fast-growing Western Canadian retail pharmacy chain. She was responsible for overseeing operations, financial performance, and marketing for 21 locations. The pharmacy chain’s success led to an acquisition in 2012 by Shoppers Drug Mart. In January 2013, Chantel took the opportunity to join a Canadian natural health food company for a more fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, leading the operations and marketing of a national product launch. By late 2015, Chantel and her team had gained shelf placement in over 8,000 stores, while implementing standard operating procedures, financial reporting structure and national consumer and trade marketing programs to grow the brand and prepare the company for further growth, which led to her promotion to President in 2016. In 2018, Chantel was hired at Valens as Vice President of Valens Agritech, it’s cannabis processing and product development subsidiary. Through her impressive operational skills and ability to lead, Chantel was quickly promoted to COO of The Valens Company to oversee operations in all of its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Adam Shea

Chief Commercial Officer

Mr. Shea brings over 16 years of experience in commercial strategy with various consumer-focused organizations in the food, beverage, tobacco and cosmetics industries. Most recently, he served as the Vice President, General Manager – North American Foodservice of leading bakery company Weston Foods Ltd., where he developed commercial strategies for a complex portfolio of bakery categories among some of the top food fast-food chains, operators, and distributors across Canada and the US. In his prior role with Weston Foods, Mr. Shea led the North American sales strategy group which included customer insights and shopper marketing, trade marketing, category management, sales planning and commercialization. Before his career at Weston Foods, Mr. Shea held senior sales and marketing positions with Red Bull, Coty Beauty, and British American Tobacco, with core responsibilities ranging from category management and trade marketing to distribution, field sales and customer engagement. Mr. Shea specializes in product commercialization and has a strong knowledge of the Canadian and US consumer packaged goods landscape with significant B2B and B2C experience. He holds a Master of Arts from the Royal Military College of Canada, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Western University.

Everett Knight, CFA

Executive VP, Corporate Development & Capital Markets

Mr. Knight was a Portfolio Manager at Matco Financial Inc. where he earned an impressive track record managing the Matco Cannabis Mandates and the Matco Small Cap Fund which was ranked number one in its category ending June 29, 2018 for one year Trailing Total Returns, according to Morning Star. Mr. Knight has analyzed hundreds of cannabis companies and toured countless facilities globally. His investment experience in the sector began in 2014 and he has accumulated a thorough understanding of the industry, regulations, subsectors and the companies involved in the fast-paced growing space. Mr. Knight’s previous work experience includes working at Petrominerales and Petrobank Resources. Mr. Knight graduated from the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. As Executive VP of Corporate Development and Capital Markets, Mr. Knight oversees all M&A and Investor Relations and has a heavy hand in Sales and Marketing.

Paul A. Kunynetz, J.D.

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Mr. Kunynetz practiced law at McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto prior to joining The Valens Company, where he gained extensive experience working on high-profile and complex transactions. His practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, franchise/distribution, commercial transactions and private equity with an emphasis on the automotive and cannabis industries. Mr. Kunynetz leads the legal services team at The Valens Company, and advises on all aspects of the Company’s strategic initiatives.

Board of Directors

Tyler Robson, B.A. & Sc.

Chief Executive Officer & Chair of the Board

Mr. Robson first joined The Valens Company in 2012 and has been integral in the development of the Company into a global leader over the last eight years. Prior to being appointed CEO in May 2017, he served as Chief Operating Officer where he oversaw all operational functions of the business in addition to leading innovation and product development initiatives. Since taking on the role of CEO, Mr. Robson has significantly scaled operations and increased profitability, leading to the Company’s ability to capture market share and lead the industry as a major player in the supply chain of leading Canadian and international brands. Mr. Robson’s passion for the industry began when he discovered the wide spectrum of benefits created by the plant and began assisting medically licensed patients across Western Canada with his expertise in cultivation and extraction. He attended the University of Saskatchewan on a football scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences degree specializing in biology. He returned to Kelowna upon completing his degree to pursue a career in research and development, plant innovation and life sciences, with an emphasis on medical cannabis and its applications in the treatment of seizures, chronic diseases, pain control, and neurological symptoms. Mr. Robson holds expertise in plant genetics and extraction processes, bringing the competitive advantage to develop and operate proprietary technologies exclusive to The Valens Company. Mr. Robson was included in the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare’s Top 100 Leaders in Healthcare and was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in 2019. In 2020, he has been included in the Top 40 under 40 by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and Marijuana Venture Magazine.

Ashley McGrath

Lead Independent Director

Mr. McGrath has been involved in real estate development for 14 years as the President and Owner of Glencoe Developments Inc. He has overseen all aspects of the development business including land acquisition, finance and sales of over 850,000 square feet of development space. He oversees the management of a large rental portfolio of residential and commercial real estate across Western Canada and is a major shareholder in an agribusiness operating over 400,000 square feet of indoor livestock production as well as a 23,000 acre grain farm.

Guy Beaudin, PhD, MBA

Independent Director

Dr. Guy Beaudin is a senior partner at RHR International responsible for the firm’s business development and marketing activities and providing services to the firm’s global clients. He is a trusted advisor to CEOs, boards of directors, and senior executive teams across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His practice includes the full scope of RHR International’s core services from the assessment and development of high-potential talent, to senior team effectiveness, to board effectiveness and CEO succession. He is experienced in post M&A work in aligning teams and cultures in cross-border acquisition, building high-potential programs for clients in financial services, upgrading talent in various PE portfolio companies and assisting a pension fund in building robust and reliable succession planning. Prior to joining RHR 25 years ago, Dr. Beaudin worked as an internal HR director for an international organization. He has also worked in senior-level marketing and finance positions in manufacturing and financial services organizations. Dr. Beaudin has an MBA from the University of Ottawa and a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Montreal. He is actively engaged in his community and is a past director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. He is also a graduate of the ICD’s Directors Education Program.

Andrew Cockwell, LL.B.

Independent Director

Mr. Cockwell is the Managing Partner of Ursataur Capital Management, a private equity firm he founded in 2009 that strategically invests in Canadian mid-market companies across various industries. He holds a track record of fostering value creation for both private and public companies, advising on issues such as strategic realignment, operational improvement, capital allocation, and governance. Previously, Mr. Cockwell was a Founding Partner of ReichmannHauer Capital Partners in 2006, a Toronto-based private equity firm targeting both domestic and international investments. He also served in the Private Equity and Corporate Finance practices at global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which he joined in 2003 and where he advised businesses, private equity firms, and hedge funds in North America and Europe. Earlier in his career, he practiced M&A and securities law as an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York and London. Mr. Cockwell holds a breadth of experience providing financial and legal advisory services in a variety of complex business contexts across a wide range of industries, including industrial coatings, ground support, financial services, and food and retail. Mr. Cockwell holds a Bachelor of Art (Hons.) from Queen’s University and a LL.B. with Great Distinction from the Faculty of Law at McGill University.

Karin A. McCaskill, LL.B.

Independent Director

Ms. McCaskill held the role of Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc. until 2018. In her fifteen-year career at Empire and Sobeys, Ms. McCaskill was responsible for a full scope of legal activities focused on corporate governance and regulatory and advisory functions, in addition to growing and leading a national legal services team. She provided legal leadership and coordination on various complex, high-profile transactions that were instrumental to the company’s restructuring, including Empire’s $1 billion deal to take Sobeys private and Sobeys’ $260 million purchase of Thrifty Foods in 2007, as well as Sobeys’ acquisition of Canada Safeway for $5.8 billion. Ms. McCaskill has been recognized for her various achievements and mentorship within the legal community, including receiving the award for General Counsel of the Year in 2014, and most recently, the BLG Stephen Sigurdson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, both presented by The Canadian General Counsel Awards. Ms. McCaskill has sat on several non-profit boards across various industries, including serving as Chair of the Halifax Adult Services Society (Prescott Group), the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, and the Canadian Employers Council, and is currently a member of the Georgian Peaks Ski Club Board of Directors and Chair of the Governance Committee. She holds a HBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University and an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Ms. McCaskill co-owns a Toronto-based retail clothing business called Tuck Shop Trading Co. Limited.

Drew Wolff, MBA

Independent Director

Mr. Wolff was most recently in senior finance roles at Starbucks Coffee Company, based in Seattle. He was Vice President, CFO, International and Channel Development and prior to that, Vice President, Global Treasurer. His responsibilities in these roles included leading finance and accounting staff for the international retail stores and global consumer packaged goods business, global cash management, financial analytics and forecasting, and enterprise risk management. Before joining Starbucks, he had over fifteen years of experience in senior roles in banking and financial services including seven years at Barclays PLC in London with responsibilities that included financial planning, analysis and reporting as well as corporate affairs and strategy. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy for seven years prior to beginning his business career. Mr. Wolff is an audit committee member at BECU, the largest community-based credit union in the U.S. with $25 billion in assets, and an advisory board member at both Secure, a software platform for employer sponsored emergency savings accounts, and Academy Securities, a veteran-owned national investment bank. Mr. Wolff has an MBA from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a B.Sc. in Economics, with distinction, from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.