Cannasouth appoints cultivation operations manager  

Cannasouth has appointed Tony Clark as Operations Manager of its Cannasouth Cultivation Limited joint venture business.

Mr Clark brings to Cannasouth more than 20 years of engineering, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industry experience, having worked with Pentair Valves & Controls Pacific Pty Ltd and Douglas Manufacturing Ltd. He is currently the General Manager of Douglas and will join Cannasouth on 20 September 2021.

Clark will manage the company’s state-of-the-art controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sealed greenhouse and headhouse facility in the Waikato, which was recently completed and is now in the final phase of equipment installation and validation.

Cannasouth CEO Mark Lucas says his team is excited to attract talent of Mr Clark’s caliber to the business.

“We are fortunate to have attracted some exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable people to our business. We have assembled a world class team. With our senior executive team now in place, Tony’s appointment represents one of the final pieces of the puzzle.

“Cannasouth Cultivation has an existing team of cultivation and production specialists who have been working closely with our Colorado based partner, Vera Cultivation, on the design and implementation of our commercial cultivation operations. Tony’s appointment as Operations Manager will be key to providing leadership and expertise across all aspects of our cultivation business.

“The design of our innovative facility represents the next generation of cannabis cultivation operations. It has been set up to produce premium pharmaceutical quality biomass at a highly competitive production cost, whilst being more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable than indoor cultivation operations.

“Tony understands the importance of a culture that prioritises the health and safety of its people. He will also provide leadership to environmental sustainability and responsibility, which are key values of   Cannasouth.”

Mr Clark’s first priority will be preparing for a successful first commercial scale harvest scheduled for the end of this year. He will also be focused on leading the team towards achieving Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certification. There is strong global demand for premium pharmaceutical quality cannabis flower, which will provide lucrative export opportunities for Cannasouth.

Mr Clark says Cannasouth is at the forefront of an emerging industry and he is excited to be joining the team.

“Cannasouth’s priority is to improve patient access to medicinal grade cannabis products that contribute to better health outcomes for New Zealanders. I am looking forward to being part of the team that will make that happen.”

Last week, Cannasouth released its plans to purchase the remaining 50% stake in Cannasouth Cultivation Limited it does not already own from Aaron Craig and his family interests.

---