Avicanna announced changes to its board of directors, including the resignation of Paul Fornazzari and the appointment of Michael Kott as a new board member.
Kott is set to join the board on January 1, 2026, bringing more than 35 years of experience across international capital markets, corporate finance, and fundraising. He is the founder and CEO of CM-Equity AG, which he built into a regulated investment bank operating across Europe before transitioning it into a global single-family office focused on long-term value creation.
The company said Kott has extensive experience serving on public and private company boards, with expertise spanning governance, compliance, IPOs, and cross-border investments. His investment background includes public equities, venture capital, and alternative assets across sectors such as biopharma, technology, cleantech, and sustainability.
Avicanna also acknowledged Fornazzari’s contributions during his tenure and noted he will continue to support the company in an advisory capacity.
Avicanna operates as a commercial-stage international biopharmaceutical company focused on cannabinoid-based products and has developed a portfolio of more than thirty proprietary, evidence-based products supported by research, clinical development, and commercial platforms.
KEY QUOTES:
“I am excited for the opportunity to join the board of Avicanna Inc. and support the exciting next stages of the growth and evolution. I believe that Avicanna is in the centre of the evidenced based natural pharmaceuticals megatrend and has the potential to make a significant impact. Their strategy and vision were further validated by the recent communications from the White House on steps towards near term reclassification of cannabis in the US, which is one of many reasons why I am optimistic about the Company’s future. Our investment thesis has been centered around investing in people and the founder’s passion and entrepreneurial instinct and as a long-term shareholder I am confident in Avicanna’s management team and share their vision.”
Michael Kott, Incoming Board Member of Avicanna Inc.
“I want to thank Paul for his significant contributions to board over the past 2 years. I look forward to his continued support as an advisor to the Company. I also want to welcome Michael to the board. Michael has been a great ally to the Company for many years, and we believe his broad expertise and related to capital markets will be positives for the Company, as we aim to continue to scale, expand, and unlock value for our shareholders.”
Aras Azadian, Chief Executive Officer of Avicanna Inc.
