Leadership Team

Tej Virk became the CEO and Director of Akanda in July 2021 following his previous role as President of Europe at Khiron Life Sciences where he established the company’s European medical and consumer packaged goods business from scratch. Tej started his career in investment banking, spending 15 years with BMO Capital Markets, with his final year focusing heavily on the cannabis industry. He transacted on over 100 IPOs and follow-on capital raises earning a reputation for industry leading innovation and successful execution in the global cannabis space.

Trevor Scott has served as Akanda’s CFO since June 2021. He was involved in the formation of Bophelo in 2018 and has served as its CFO since its inception. Additionally, Scott has served as the CEO of Bearingway Limited, an accounting and consulting firm, since 2008, the CFO of Stallion Security (Pty) Ltd., a security company based in South Africa since 2017, as the CFO and financial director of Uranium One Africa Ltd., a mining company, from 2014 to 2017, and as a director of Mokwele Inc. since 2004. Scott is a chartered accountant by profession, and has experience with regards to fundraising, accounting, investor relations, internal controls and mergers and acquisition related matters. Scott received his bachelors degree in Accounting at Wits University in 2000.

Louisa Mojela joined Akanda in August 2021 alongside her post as the Executive Chairman of Halo Collective 2018 to provide Akanda with leadership and direction to deliver on the strategic social development initiatives in Lesotho and further afield. Founder of Bophelo Bioscience, Louisa is one of South Africa's most influential and successful businesswomen having served for the boards of Distell, Sasol Mining Limited, Sun International, and Life Healthcare Holdings. She is the Chairman and Group CEO of Wiphold, a large diversified investment holding company, previously listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, which she co-founded in 1994. In addition, Louisa is a Founder and a Trustee of the Maputhi Matoso Development Trust – which is focused on various social development initiatives in Lesotho.

Dr. Aslihan Akkar-Schenkl, an experienced executive in the cannabis industry, a registered pharmacist and European Patent Attorney, joined the company in October 2021 as President and is responsible for company-wide Pharmaceutical Strategy & Operations, Quality Assurance, and Legal & Regulatory affairs.

Having completed her Doctorate at FU Berlin in Pharmaceutical Technology with focus on nanosuspensions and nanoemulsions, Dr. Akkar-Schenkl started her career in the German pharmaceutical industry in 2005. Early industry experience navigates from feasibility studies on R&D of inhalation formulations, stability testing, and up-scaling of liquid formulations under class A.

Having filed her own patent applications with her employer, she studied patent law. Her IP practice focused on patent prosecution in Germany and Europe; enforcement and defense of intellectual property rights, in particular in opposition and appeal proceedings before the European Patent Office, as well as the preparation of freedom-to-operate analysis for the pharmaceutical industry. She is author/co-author of more than 40 publications in scientific, intellectual Property and regulatory areas (e.g., Dossier Cannabis).

Dr. Akkar-Schenkl has occupied key positions in the German cannabis industry from the very beginning such as Responsible Person, Narcotics Officer and Managing Director of the former Northern Green Global GmbH and she currently leads the Regulatory & Quality Working Group at the European Medical Cannabis Association (EUMCA). Her regulatory experience covers EU GMP projects - both indoor and green house grow facilities.

Dr. Nayee has a distinguished and prize-winning career. Dr. Nayee has been prescribing cannabis to his patients since 2019, and currently treats in excess of 1,000 patients. He joined Akanda from the Lyphe Group, a cannabis clinical telehealth and dispensing ecosystem, where he served as Medical Director. Under his leadership at Lyphe, The Medical Cannabis Clinics became the first ever cannabis clinic to receive a “good” rating from the Care Quality Commission. He trained at Cambridge University Medical School and is on staff at Imperial College Healthcare Trust, London’s Leading University Hospital. Dr. Nayee has been awarded the Industry Leading Canex “Superdoc” Award for being a “been a true advocate for medical cannabis and an adamant educator.” He also holds prizes from the NHS Strategic Health Authority’s innovation committee and Royal College of General Practitioners for work related to patient safety. He presents widely and most recently published research reviewing the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis treatment for the treatment of chronic refractory pain, including presenting at the National Patient Safety Conference. Dr. Nayee continues to work collaboratively with research teams at the University of Sydney Quest Research Group, Drug Science and BOD science. He plays an active role in multiple professional bodies including the British Pain Society, Spinal Interventional Society, World Institute of Pain and the European Pain Federation.

Greg Beadle became the Commercial Director of Akanda in October 2021, following his previous role of Director of Business Development Africa for Canopy Growth and subsequently as Chief Growth Officer for Highlands Investments. Greg also currently serves as the Founder & Managing Director of Farmer 2 Pharma, an active, effective facilitation agency working with licensed cultivators and licensed pharmaceutical enterprises. In these roles, Greg has successfully shipped medical cannabis between license holders globally and brings this know-how to expedite the generation of revenue for Akanda. Greg has extensive commercial business knowledge and experience having worked with brands including Bentley Cars, Land Rover, Men’s Health Magazine and numerous entrepreneurial ventures founded and developed by Greg.

Vidya Iyer has been part of Akanda since its inception in 2021 and has headed the Finance Department of Bophelo Bio Science & Wellness Pty Ltd. since 2019. A Chartered Accountant by profession, Vidya’s experience lies in corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, treasury management, auditing & taxation, and group financial management related matters. She worked for member firms of PwC from 2006 to 2008 specializing in audits, as a Financial analyst with JP Morgan from 2008 to 2009 specializing in Legal Entity controllerships, as a Senior Partner in RBDC – a Chartered Accountancy firm up to 2011, and as a Group Finance Executive for various investment holding companies up to 2018.