Aurora Announces Senior Management Change, Appoints Glen Ibbott as Chief Financial Officer
Further Strengthens Management Team, Adding Andrea Paine as Director, Québec Affairs
VANCOUVER, May 8, 2017 /CNW/ – Aurora Cannabis Inc. (the “Company” or “Aurora”) (TSXV: ACB) (OTCQX: ACBFF) (Frankfurt: 21P; WKN: A1C4WM) announced that effective today, Glen Ibbott has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Amy Stephenson who has acted as the Company’s Interim CFO since August, 2016. Mrs. Stephenson will continue to work with Aurora on a part-time basis to ensure a smooth transition. Additionally, the Company announced the appointment of Andrea Paine as its Director, Québec Affairs.
Chief Financial Officer
Glen Ibbott is a seasoned senior healthcare executive with over 20 years’ experience providing financial leadership to various public entities, including management of Canadian and international capital market strategies, M&A, tax and finance, predominantly within the life sciences sector. An innovative, decisive, and insightful professional, he has excelled in delivering revenue and profitability growth, both domestically and internationally, strategy execution and shareholder value creation, including key contributions to numerous corporate transactions.
Most recently, Mr. Ibbott was CFO at QLT Inc, a NASDAQ and TSX listed Biopharmaceutical Company and played a key role in QLT’s $500 million merger with Aegerion Pharmaceuticals to form Novelion Therapeutics. Prior to his time at QLT, Mr. Ibbott held various senior finance positions, including with globally operating companies such as Nordion, International Forest Products, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Aspreva Pharmaceuticals, and Inex Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, he worked within the technology practice of KPMG.
In addition to his primary corporate responsibilities, Mr. Ibbott has held several community engagement Board positions including with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Community Foundation of Ottawa, and the Mulgrave Independent School Society.
Mr. Ibbott completed MBAs at Cornell University and at Queen’s University, is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), as well as a US CPA, and holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.
We are delighted with the appointment of Glen, as he brings to Aurora deep experience and capabilities that match our needs as we continue to develop. The timing is perfect as we continue executing on an aggressive growth and expansion strategy aimed at creating a global leader in the cannabis industry. We will continue to emphasize our roots as a medical cannabis company, while positioning Aurora effectively to seize the enormous opportunity we expect to be created by the legalization of adult consumer use.
Terry Booth, CEO
“As we take the Aurora Standard to new heights in terms of operational, financial, governance and innovation excellence, we believe that in Glen we have found someone who ticks all these boxes, and will be a great fit for the company as we build on our leadership within the industry. Finally, I would like to thank Amy Stephenson for her significant contributions to Aurora over the past year, and for her professionalism, expertise and team spirit that made her a valued member of our team.”
Aurora is one of the leaders and trailblazers within this remarkably fast-growing cannabis industry. I am excited about my new role and look forward to contributing and helping Aurora reach the next level in its unprecedented development.
Glen Ibbott, CFO
The Aurora Standard, its inclusive culture, and clear differentiation within the industry, were all important aspects that made it an easy decision to join the Company. I look forward to engaging with our partners, stakeholders, management and board of directors, in further building shareholder value and establishing Aurora as a long-term leader and success story in this sector.
Director, Québec Affairs
Additionally, the Company is pleased to report it has appointed Andrea Paine as Director, Québec Affairs, operating out of Aurora’s Peloton Pharmaceuticals facility in Pointe-Claire, Québec, and in close proximity to both Montreal and Ottawa. Mrs. Paine will be responsible for external communications in Québec, including government and community relations, as well as internal communications at the Company’s new Pointe-Claire facility.
A former Citizenship Judge, Paine has over twenty years of experience working for Cabinet Ministers in both the Québec Provincial and Federal Governments, including the Federal Minister of Health, whom she supported as Director of Parliamentary Affairs. In this position, she was responsible for developing new legislation, steering this through the House of Commons, as well as negotiating with Opposition parties and other stakeholder groups.
The Aurora Standard continues to attract top talent. As part of our organizational DNA, we consider it extremely important to have an ongoing dialogue and a close relationship with the communities in which we operate, as well as with municipal and provincial governments. Andrea, who is fully bilingual, is extremely well connected, and has extensive government and stakeholder relations experience. Her energy, government experience, and commitment to excellence are an ideal fit for our team.
Cam Battley, Executive Vice-President
“Aurora stands out not only because of the quality of its products, customer service and innovation, but also because of its strong efforts to create meaningful connections to the political and economic environments within which it operates,” added Ms. Paine. “These were all important considerations for me, and I am very excited to join the Aurora team.”
About Aurora
Aurora’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., is a licensed producer of medical cannabis pursuant to Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”). The Company operates a 55,200 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Mountain View County, Alberta, and is currently constructing a second 800,000 square foot production facility, known as “Aurora Sky”, at the Edmonton International Airport, and has acquired, and is undertaking completion of, a third 40,000 square foot production facility in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, on Montreal’s West Island. In addition, the company is the cornerstone investor with a 19.9% stake in Cann Group Limited, the first Australian company licensed to conduct research on and cultivate medical cannabis. Aurora’s common shares trade on the TSX-V under the symbol “ACB”.
Original press release: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/aurora-announces-senior-management-change-appoints-glen-ibbott-as-chief-financial-officer-621613203.html
