Archives: Speakers

Mr. McCormick joins the company as a highly experienced global consumer goods executive with a deep understanding of brand and trade marketing, operations and supply chain, finance and scaling a business internationally. Mr. McCormick has operated extensively in regulated markets and built strong brands in these environments. At Ignite, Mr. McCormick will oversee all aspects of the company, reporting to Founder and Chairman Dan Bilzerian. Previously, Mr. McCormick was the COO and CFO for KushCo Holdings Inc., the leading provider of ancillary products and services to the US and Canadian cannabis sector. Mr. McCormick spent the majority of his career with British American Tobacco (BAT) where he spent 16 years in senior management roles including 14 years overseas living in 7 different countries. During his tenure with BAT he successfully led market entry initiatives, driving global brand expansion and optimizing international supply chain operations.

Dr Thierry Kern is a regulatory manager with experience in the development of new medicines and interacting with regulatory authorities worldwide for medicine approvals. He holds a Pharm.D. in pharmaceutical clinical development from the University of Pharmacy of Strasbourg, France, and a postgraduate diploma in environmental epidemiology from the University of Medicine of Grenoble in France. Thierry has worked in the UK and the USA, managing regulatory, pharmacovigilance, inspection readiness teams and registration procedures for medicines with the EU Authorities and the FDA. Thierry also worked for the European Medicines Agency managing referral procedures and updates to the good pharmacovigilance practices regulation. Thierry joined Pen & Tec in 2018 and specialises in feed and food registration projects in the EU, ensuring scientific and regulatory excellence in the work that Pen & Tec delivers.

Andrew has had a long-term passion for horticulture, obtaining a degree in Commercial Horticulture, holding seat as chairman of the British Bedding and Pot Plant Association Technical Committee and sitting on the AHDB Protected Ornamentals Panel committee. Andrew joined Neame Lea in 2014 as Growing and Production Manager, overseeing the planning and scheduling of a range of crops to meet customer expectations and has since become Bridge Farm Group’s head of growing.