Tag: people

  • BAT Design Chief Says Users, Simplicity are Main Focus

    BAT Design Chief Says Users, Simplicity are Main Focus

    Image: Tobacco Reporter archive

    Ken Kim, BAT’s design chief, is the first Korean to oversee the design process of all of BAT’s tobacco products, focusing on simplicity and the user experience, reports The Korea Herald.

    “My priority when designing heating tobacco products was that the item should become one of the three products that consumers can carry with them all the time, along with a phone and wallet,” said Kim during an interview.

    Kim said that with the latest product, Glo Hyper X2, he and his design team focused on the smallest details, like how consumers with different finger lengths could comfortably close the product’s iris shutter and the most convenient shape for switches used in iris shutters.

    “I also held a lot of meetings with the engineers to best design products that have the size and width to fit comfortably in consumers’ hands,” Kim added. “As such, we put a lot of effort into researching how to best design our products. We wondered if consumers will actually take notice of such efforts but concluded that for their satisfaction, this was a duty we must complete.”

    Kim highlighted the strengths of products with simple, refined designs. “Designs for a product is only complete when its function part has been fully supplemented,” said Kim.

  • Arcus Compliance Appoints CBD Guru Robert Sidebottom

    Arcus Compliance Appoints CBD Guru Robert Sidebottom

    Photo: tadamichi

    Arcus Compliance appointed a new nonexecutive director, Robert Sidebottom.

    Sidebottom has broad commercial, management and board-level experience across the vape and CBD sectors. He is the group managing director for the Eco Vape Group of companies and was formerly the managing director for the vape compliance company Adact Medical.

    Sidebottom is a leading advocate of vaping, which he views as one of the essential tools in assisting smokers to quit traditional cigarettes. His commercial and compliance experience is underpinned by his qualifications and experience in project management, personnel management and finance.

    “I am thrilled to be joining the Arcus Compliance leadership team, and I look forward to contributing to their strategic direction and continuing the exponential growth as the prime compliance agency in the sector,” said Sidebottom in a UKVIA press note. “The Arcus board have set the correct tone of professionalism and customer service, and I am very happy to have the opportunity to work with them.”

    “We are thrilled to have Robert on board,” said Lee Bryan, managing director of Arcus Compliance. “He will be working closely with our other directors and in particular our other [nonexecutive director,] John Dunne. Prior to his appointment and for the last 12 months, Robert and I have discussed how we can improve vaping compliance, with the aim of making products as safe as possible for the vaping community and switching smokers to the 95 percent safer alternative of vaping.”

    Arcus Compliance has enjoyed rapid growth over the last 18 months and has significantly increased its market share within the SaaS space in the electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS) and vape product sector. Arcus Compliance is currently regarded as the leading regulatory consultancy in Europe for ENDS products and boasts a client base of many of the world’s leading brands.

  • Helius Appoints Perry to the Cannabis Company’s Board

    Helius Appoints Perry to the Cannabis Company’s Board

    New Zealand’s largest licensed medicinal cannabis company, Helius Therapeutics, has appointed Joanna Perry to its Board of Directors. The appointment comes as the New Zealand-based company prepares to enter both the domestic and international markets. Perry will serve as chairperson on the board’s Audit Finance Committee.

    Joanna Perry, Credit: Helius

    “Joanna’s significant governance experience, combined with her well-known inquisitive probing, will be a real asset. Her nature to challenge and always seek continuous improvement strongly aligns with Helius’ internal cultural value of staying curious,” says Carmen Doran, CEO of Helius Therapeutics.

    Having raised $48m in capital since 2018, Helius has invested significantly in both its facility and talent, according to a press release. Perry’s arrival to the board of Helius is timely, with its state-of-the-art, integrated medicines manufacturing facility in Auckland’s East Tamaki set to begin production.

    “Our world-class executive leadership team is complete, and our board is equally excited to bring high quality, highly efficacious medicinal cannabis products to market with an exciting R&D pipeline to follow,” says Doran.

    Perry says it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be involved with such an innovative biotechnology company, leading the infancy of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis sector. “I’m delighted to add my governance and financial experience to the vast pharmaceutical and cannabinoid medicine experience of the Helius team. It’s an incredible journey not only for Helius, but for the country,” says Perry.