Vol. 5: EU GMP and Global Certification

Deepank Utkhede

Chief Operations Officer

Mr. Utkhede has 22 years of experience in pharmaceutical formulation and process development and has extensive experience developing robust and commercially scalable manufacturing processes. He has worked extensively developing various pharmaceutical dosage forms — topicals (dermal and ocular), orals (capsules and liquid), parenterals (aseptic and terminally sterilized) — and drug/device combination products with extensive experience in the area of lyophilization, liposome and emulsion technology. Utkhede is also well versed in GMP/FDA regulation.

Christian Santi

Director of Sales

With over 25 years experience in sales, business development, marketing, and operations management from in a variety of different industries, Christian Santi is no stranger to leading global supply chain organizations.

With past titles ranging from Chief Operating Officer, Director of Channel Sales & Product Development, Exec. Vice President, and most recently Director of Sales for companies such as Socati Corp, Ferrin-Tech, and Boulder Botanicals & Bioscience Laboratory, Christian’s background is second to none.

Additionally, Christian has incredible expertise in building and leading high-performance sales teams and providing client needs analysis with a consultative approach as well as an extensive background in sourcing from China and India.
.

Bridget Hoffer

Marigold PR (Moderator)

Bridget is the co-founder of Marigold Marketing and PR, a communications strategist and brand expert. She has extensive experience in delivering strategic communications, marketing, and brand programs that achieve results and resonate. Her expertise ranges from developing and managing iconic Canadian brands to refreshed personal brands with effective positioning to ensure relevance and value.

Since 2015, she has been a consultant with individual clients, digital start-ups and PR firms providing communications strategy and planning for business development, expansion and launching new brands. From 2000 to 2014, Bridget was the executive director of CBC communications, marketing, and brand for all CBC English Services. She collaborated with CBC Radio-Canada’s French and Corporates service on national projects. During her tenure, CBC was ranked as one of Canada’s most influential brands by Ipsos. Previous, to her role as executive director, Bridget was director of CBC Radio and CBC regional communications. Before joining CBC, Bridget led the communications teams for the United Way of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Currently, she is a board member for Safetynet services in Oakville, ON.

Av Singh, PhD, PAg

Cultivation Advisor and Chief Science Officer, FS Cannabis

Av Singh is one of the leading authorities on regenerative organic cannabis production. Dr. Singh has authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers, chapters, and extension articles and has been an invited speaker to over 500 workshops, conferences, symposia as well as guest-lecturing at over 30 universities in Canada, the US, the UK, and India. Av has had the privilege of visiting over 2000 farms across five continents which has shaped his extension of holistic, system-based design solutions. Emphasizing a union of traditional knowledge with science, Av works with growers to cultivate an appreciation of plant:soil interrelationships.

Av has recently been appointed to the Cannabis Quality Assurance (CQA) Standards Committee and is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, and was identified as one of the Top 50 Heroes shaping the Canadian Cannabis sector by High! Canada Magazine and a Cannabis Hero by Cannabis Amnesty.  Av is a frequent speaker and advisory board member at  O’Cannabiz and the Grow Up Conferences.