Biography

Derek Watson joined The Cannabist Company in 2022 as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining The Cannabist Company, Derek served as the Chief Financial and Commercial Officer at Tastes on the Fly, a private equity-backed national consumer retail company based in California. He has also held Chief Financial Officer roles at two other consumer companies, Starr Restaurants and Samba Brands, and as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Schindler Elevator, the U.S. subsidiary of Schindler Holding AG (SCHN.SW). Derek began his career at KPMG where he spent 20 years providing audit and consulting services, including as a Partner and Practice Leader, and served private and Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries while based in London, Prague, New York, and Philadelphia. He has experience in a range of leadership roles covering strategy, investor relations, information technology, tax, treasury, accounting, FP&A, operational improvement, and risk management. Derek is a Fellow at the Culinary Institute of America, a Board Member with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Garden in New York and has served as a Board Advisor to a number of entrepreneurial start-ups. Derek is a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW, holds an undergraduate degree in Finance & Accounting from Kingston University, London and an MBA from Columbia University.