Halo Collective names Katharyn Field as new CEO

Halo Collective promotes Katharyn Field to Chief Executive Officer; a proven cannabis Executive, with experience at The Brookings Institution and Bain & Company, to lead Halo’s streamlined and retail-focused strategy to drive near-term profitability. (CNW Group/Halo Collective Inc.)

TORONTO — On Jul. 1, Halo Collective Inc. promoted Katharyn Field, Halo’s President, to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Field, a cannabis industry professional with management experience, succeeds Kiran Sidhu, who resigned as Chief Executive Officer and as a director on the Company’s Board of Directors, with immediate effect. Halo has also appointed experienced cannabis professional Cassidy McCord as a director on the Board.

“The Board believes the time is right for not only a change in leadership, but a change in strategy, and Katie has the right experience and capabilities to leverage the Company’s valuable assets to create tangible and sustainable shareholder value,” commented Ryan Kunkel, Chair of the Board. “We have proven our ability to generate profits in California and are successfully launching our Los Angeles retail strategy. Our focus now is to build on this success, de-emphasizing initiatives in less attractive markets and more effectively harnessing the capabilities we have developed to achieve profitability. We thank Kiran for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Ms. Field takes the helm at Halo with direct cannabis experience spanning all facets of the business, including strategy, retail, corporate development, business development, HR & organization, legal & regulatory, and investor relations. She has been a member of the Halo executive team since joining the company in April 2019, serving initially as Chief Strategy Officer, President since February 2020, and Board member since July 2021. She first entered the cannabis industry in 2014 at Costa Farms, where she led the procurement, build-out, and sale of one of five original vertically integrated companies in Florida; and subsequently operated a strategy consulting practice focused on cannabis and also worked at MariMed as EVP of Corporate Development. Ms. Field’s resume includes positions at The Brookings Institution and Bain & Company. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA with honors from Stanford University.

“Halo is very well-positioned in the US West Coast cannabis space with a strong consumer brand portfolio and a loyal customer base. In particular, we have developed a valuable portfolio of California assets including wholesale and white label manufacturing as well as retail assets in Los Angeles,” added Ms. Field. “My initial focus will be on streamlining the organization to establish a rationalized, focused business comprised of assets that create the most value and hold the most promise. While sales are down in California year over year, our business is up. Furthermore, our manufacturing business is profitable, and the Budega stores are trending well. I’m confident that by prioritizing near-term profitability and bolstering our growing retail presence, Halo will be able to scale from a position of strength, which is the best path to generate shareholder value.”

Cassidy McCord has been appointed to the Board as a non-executive director. Ms. McCord is a capital markets professional and businesswoman who has amassed operational and capital markets experience throughout her career. Ms. McCord has extensive experience and a valuable network, primarily in the cannabis sector. She has invaluable experience in working for a Canadian licensed cannabis producer in addition to operational and management experience at a Canadian cannabis clinic.

Mr. Sidhu will provide consulting services to the Company for six months to facilitate a smooth leadership transition.