Features

Ex-Valens CEO Tyler Robson leaves SNDL, and other moves

Published on April 10, 2026 by Pat Bulmer

Photo: Contributed

Cannabis and liquor retailer SNDL has a new boss on its cannabis side.

The Edmonton-based company announced on March 30 that president Tyler Robson was gone and chief strategy officer Ryan Hellard had become interim president of cannabis.

Robson left “to pursue other opportunities,” the announcement said.

In early 2023, SNDL officially acquired Kelowna-based Valens in an all-stock deal worth about $138 million. SNDL also took on the company’s $60 million in debt. The acquisition gave SNDL three manufacturing facilities in Kelowna, including LYF Edibles and two large-scale Valens’ cannabis manufacturing, packaging, and extraction facilities in the industrial park on the Kelowna-Lake Country border. Robson stepped on to the SNDL executive in the transition.

  • RELATED: Extensive coverage of The Valens Company on the oz.

SNDL operates Value Buds, Spiritleaf and Cost Cannabis stores, produces a variety of cannabis products and sells liquor.

Village Farms is planning to make a change near the top. CFO Stephen Ruffini will leave that position after 17 years, but will stay on with the BC and Florida-based company to take charge of merger and acquisition activities. A formal search for a new CFO will be launched.

“Steve’s 17-year tenure with the company was instrumental in transforming what was previously an income trust into one of the world’s foremost leaders in cannabinoid-based consumer packaged goods,” the company declared in a news release.

In other personnel moves, Kelowna-based HYTN Innovations has hired a lawyer with experience in “high-growth businesses” to serve on its board of directors.

Fabian Monaco “is an accomplished technology entrepreneur, investor, and operator,” a news release said. “Mr. Monaco is the owner of Giumar Capital Inc., a boutique investment banking and advisory practice. He is also the co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Gage Growth Corp. … Under his leadership, Gage expanded into a $100 million revenue business with more than 15 retail locations and over 350 employees.”

Meanwhile, Canopy Growth appointed David Männer as managing director of its German vape company, Storz and Bickel. He succeeds co-founder Jürgen Bickel, who is leaving after 25 years.

Calgary-based CanadaBis announced the election of Travis McIntyre, Nicole Bacsalmasi, Alex Michaud and Shane Chana to its board of directors with Barb O’Neill going out.

And Aurora Cannabis was named to the Globe and Mail’s 2026 Report on Business Women Lead Here list for gender diversity in its executive suites. Edmonton-based Aurora is one of 85 companies with 50% female executive leadership.

“We’ve created an environment where female leaders thrive,” said Lori Schick, Aurora’s executive vice president of human resources.