Talman Zurich
20 February, 2026
Shape The Future!
Zurich 2026 Digital Program
Event Schedule


10:00
10:00
Introduction
Introduction

Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers

Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers is a visionary entrepreneur, political activist and the founder of several influential cannabis businesses over the past 30 years. He is the mastermind behind the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC)—the first and largest international business conference producing events across multiple continents. He is renowned worldwide for connecting elite industry leaders and also serves as the CEO of the members-only Talman House, created to connect entrepreneurs seeking capital with investors ready to deploy capital in Europe’s emerging industry. Alex Rogers also played a crucial role in professionalizing and mainstreaming the United States’ cannabis industry by founding one of the most popular medical cannabis clinics, which became the first to advertise medical cannabis on network television. A Magna Cum Laude graduate in Political Science, Rogers’ passion is leveraging his influence to shape cannabis policy globally. Alex has successfully advocated for progressive cannabis reform on the global stage, including in California, Oregon, Germany and Slovenia. His foundational work with legendary pioneer Jack Herer and his incredible influence globally have cemented Rogers’ legacy as both a successful international cannabis entrepreneur and a global policy influencer.
Jamie L Pearson
Jamie L Pearson
International Consultant, New Holland Group
Jamie L Pearson
Jamie Pearson has been a highly respected leader in the cannabis industry for over a decade. Her “in the trenches” operational success and deep, global relationships led her to be coined “Wonder Woman” in the 2023 Women of Influence issue of Cannabis Now Magazine. Fluent in German, Jamie spent decades in the global real estate investment and finance world on three continents. She currently sits on the advisory boards of Dope Drinks, Marley One, Cellotex Dev Ltd, Global Cannabis Network Collective (GCNC), Lift & Co, and Alpen Group AG.
Jamie founded and leads The New Holland Group, a global consulting firm serving clients with international business development & strategy, seed to sale operations, branding & marketing, effective capital raising, executive coaching, cross border IP licensing, celebrity partnerships, buy & sell side M&A, and financial turnarounds. Client referrals have been New Holland Group’s only source of business and business is booming!
Before New Holland Group, Jamie spent seven years, including three as the President & CEO, of Bhang Inc. [CSE:BHNG] one of the world’s most-awarded and recognized cannabis edible brands, famous for its infused chocolate bars. She led the company’s diverse executive team, managed the “expansion through licensing” plan, ran the capital markets division, and was the face of the brand – catapulting Bhang from a California favorite to a multi-state and multi-national phenomenon. When Jamie exited Bhang the brand had been distributed in 7 US states and 10 countries through licensing deals with the likes of Trulieve, [CSE:TRUL], Indiva [TSX:NDVA] and Origin House [CSE:OH] (now Cresco). Jamie served four years as the Vice Chairman of Bhang’s Board and served on the Board’s audit committee.
Jamie is a popular speaker with competence in the areas of global expansion, ESG, IP & brand licensing, real estate acquisition, creative deal structuring, celebrity partnerships, business development, and leadership. Jamie can be reached at jamie@new-holland.group.
10:15
10:15
Pharmaceutical Medical Cannabis Market Partnerships – Keynote
Pharmaceutical Medical Cannabis Market Partnerships – Keynote

Jaap Erkelens
Jaap Erkelens

Jaap Erkelens
Jaap Erkelens is the CEO of Bedrocan, the world’s most experienced producer of pharmaceutical-grade medicinal cannabis. Stepping into the role previously held by his father and company founder, Tjalling Erkelens, Jaap has been guiding the organisation into steady international development. This strategic growth includes the construction of a dedicated production facility in Denmark and the acquisition of the former Bedrocan Canada facility in Toronto.
Under his leadership, Bedrocan recently partnered with German Specialty Pharma company Medios AG for exclusive distribution in selected European markets. This alliance reflects Jaap’s commitment to a strictly medicinal path: “We advocate for a pharmaceutical approach and a clear separation between adult and patient use. For this reason, we value collaborating with true pharmaceutical companies like Medios.”
Bedrocan remains a global benchmark for medicinal cannabis, providing high-quality Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and prescription-grade products to the global medical community.
10:30
10:30
Switzerland’s Cannabis Market In Transition
Switzerland’s Cannabis Market In Transition

Daniel Haymann
Daniel Haymann
Attorney At Law, MME Legal

Daniel Haymann
Daniel Haymann specialises in corporate and commercial law. Thanks to his extensive business experience, he has a good sense for new markets and understands the requirements for market launch and scale-up strategies. As an interdisciplinary and hands-on advisor, his focus is on investments, venture capital and financing transactions as well as regulatory issues in the healthcare and consumer goods sectors.
He has been advising investors, start-ups, and vertically integrated companies along the value chain, including on regulatory matters relating to THC, CBD and other cannabinoids and psychedelic compounds, on GMP and GDP standards, foodstuff and cosmetics regulations as well as authorization procedures before Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products.
Daniel is the co-founder and co-chair of the European offshoot of the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA Europe). In addition, as a dual Swiss-Israeli citizen, he focuses on supporting clients with ties to Israel and strengthening the corresponding business relationships.
Prior to his career as a lawyer, Daniel spent over 10 years as a commodities trader for multinational corporations in senior management positions.

Dr. Nicolai Berardi
Dr. Nicolai Berardi
Prakt. med. FMH, MBA-HSG

Dr. Nicolai Berardi

Andrew David Petronanos
Andrew David Petronanos
CEO and Founder, Dascoli Pharma AG

Andrew David Petronanos
Andrew David Petronanos is the CEO and Founder of Dascoli Pharma AG, a Swiss-based company specializing in medical cannabis supply, distribution, healthcare training, and pharmacy retail operations, holding a nationwide Swiss mail-order license.
With expertise in business development, regulatory compliance, and strategic investment, he has led high-value partnerships and market expansions in regulated industries. Previously, he founded FINELEAF, advised investors in the cannabis sector, and worked in investor relations at Alpha Three Invest. He also serves as a Senior Advisory Board Member at Arclif Group.
Beyond business, Andrew is a dedicated husband and father, passionate about building relationships, exploring cultures, and driving innovation with transparency and purpose.

Thomas Bär
Thomas Bär
Co-Founder & Managing Director, Canway Holdings Ltd.

Thomas Bär
Thomas Bär is a Co-Founder and the Managing Director of CANWAY Holdings Ltd.
Thomas is a Swiss Certified Fiduciary by education with a strong focus on corporate management & governance, financial, legal, compliance & regulatory affairs.
Prior to getting involved in the cannabis industry by establishing the CANWAY Group of companies back in 2016, Thomas co-founded a group of companies named CONSAVO, specialized in rendering multidisciplinary business and legal consulting services to internationally aligned corporations throughout various industry sectors.
Thomas also served as member and president of the board of «IG Hanf», the umbrella association of the Swiss cannabis industry. Thanks to his extensive experience and network, Thomas is always up to date regarding all legislative and regulatory matters and current market developments relating to the cannabis industry.
11:10
11:10
Global Cannabis M&A and Investment Outlook
Global Cannabis M&A and Investment Outlook

David Hyde
David Hyde
Founder, Hyde Advisory & Investments

David Hyde


11:50
11:50
Between Hype And Reality
Between Hype And Reality

Dr. Jan Rasmus Ludwig
Dr. Jan Rasmus Ludwig
Partner
Moderator

Dr. Jan Rasmus Ludwig
Dr. Jan Rasmus Ludwig is an experienced solicitor who specialises in providing comprehensive advice to clients on pharmaceutical advertising and all aspects of intellectual property law. His areas of expertise include health technology and life sciences, with a focus on medical cannabis, regulatory issues and recreational cannabis. Dr. Ludwig has been admitted to the bar since 2007 and is a partner at BRP RENAUD. As a specialist lawyer for industrial property rights, copyright and media law, Jan’s practice concentrates primarily on IP litigation. He has been involved in landmark decisions before the Federal Court of Justice in copyright and design law. Additionally, Dr. Jan Rasmus Ludwig also advises national and international companies and investors in the fields of medical cannabis, medical devices and dietary supplements, and the entire product and business development cycle of the dynamically growing cannabis industry.

Kai-Friedrich Niermann
Kai-Friedrich Niermann
Founder, Kfn+ Law Office

Kai-Friedrich Niermann
Kai is characterized by his outstanding expertise and diverse practice in the cannabis industry. With a broad range of expertise in cannabis and business law, he provides comprehensive legal support to companies and individuals.
From contract drafting and company formation to day-to-day legal support, he assists cannabis companies with customized solutions in all legal matters, including white collar criminal law where necessary.
Kai is also the author of the blog canna-biz.legal, where he positions himself as an expert in the thriving cannabis business. Canna-biz.legal not only provides insights into the legal status of cannabis in Germany and Europe today, but also current developments and offers resources for businesses and interested parties.
His work spans all aspects of the cannabis industry, from advising companies on cultivation licenses and production regulations to assisting with regulatory issues in product development. His deep understanding of the complex legal framework in this sector makes him a sought-after contact.
Kai and his law firm KFN+ advise large CBD and medical cannabis companies, as well as companies and associations interested in the emerging recreational cannabis market. He is also advisor to the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), which has submitted a joint application to the EU Commission for authorization as a novel food for various CBD products.
With an international perspective, Kai operates not only nationally, but also across borders. His network in the industry enables him to support companies in their global activities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-changing legal landscape.
Kai regularly speaks at international cannabis conferences on topics related to the German and European legal framework for cannabis, and publishes articles at Krautinvest, BusinessCann and in law journals.
Born in Löhne/Westf. in 1972, studied law at the Universities of Marburg, Adelaide (Australia), Cologne, legal assistant at the press center of the German Bundestag (2000-2002), worked for the Berlin District Court, for the Director of Public Prosecution in Berlin, for the Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Hong Kong Consulate General.

Gašper Friškovec
Gašper Friškovec
CCO, The Talman Group

Gašper Friškovec
Gašper Friškovec is a licensed attorney in Slovenia, and has over a decade of practice in advising clients and their legal representation on economic, regulatory, and political matters before the highest Slovenian and international courts. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana, where he is also earning his doctorate while specializing in administrative law. His experience has given him a unique perspective on public policy and law within both Slovenia and the EU. Gasper is able to work adeptly within a variety of regulatory frameworks. He brings a pragmatic and disruptive approach to crafting innovative solutions for the complex challenges facing businesses in this emerging industry.

Seyit Kaya
Seyit Kaya
CFO, Sanity Group

Seyit Kaya
12:30
12:30
Pitches
This pitch session will feature presentations from several different companies, each with immense potential in the cannabis space. The Talman House Portfolio provides a range of opportunities, from pure startups to operators with established distribution channels and market traction. Companies from Europe and around the world will be represented in these rapid-fire presentations, with eight (8) minute pitches followed by seven (7) minute Q&A sessions.
Pitches
Our team of ‘Sharks’ evaluate cutting-edge cannabis companies
This pitch session will feature presentations from several different companies, each with immense potential in the cannabis space. The Talman House Portfolio provides a range of opportunities, from pure startups to operators with established distribution channels and market traction. Companies from Europe and around the world will be represented in these rapid-fire presentations, with eight (8) minute pitches followed by seven (7) minute Q&A sessions.
Sharks

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer, Sullivan Adventures LLC; Partner, New Holland Group

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer – Sullivan Adventures LLC
Partner: New Holland Group
Keynote Speaker – Advisor – Investor
Jeanne M. Sullivan is a passionate about delivering ideas – information – and inspiration to entrepreneurs – Sullivan has been early to various sectors – investing in tech infrastructure, the internet wave, cloud-based computing, data aggregation and early in the cannabis sector. She is thrilled to leverage years in this industry and support entrepreneurs seeking European-based cannabis opportunities.
She co-founded an early-stage cannabis fund and is a frequent speaker on the conference circuit. Sullivan has been part of the Arcview Group and Arcview Ventures since 2015.
Jeanne co-founded StarVest Partners, a venture capital firm in NYC raising $400 million to invest in tech-enabled business services companies. Prior to her venture experience with StarVest and Olivetti Ventures, Jeanne gained her operating experience with AT&T and Bell Labs while serving in product and industry marketing roles.
Ms. Sullivan has served on the board of multiple technology and cannabis companies and has extensive experience creating “go to market” plans for growth and expansion stage companies. Her expertise also includes strategy, an understanding of the tech and cannabis landscape and industry trends. Sullivan lives in New York City.
Connect: Linkedin.com/in/jeannemsullivan

David Hyde
David Hyde
Founder, Hyde Advisory & Investments

David Hyde

Emilie Lewis
Emilie Lewis
Senior Vice President; Brand Leader MJBiz™ • MJBizCon®

Emilie Lewis
Emilie Lewis is a seasoned brand strategist and marketing leader with over 20 years of experience across fashion, lifestyle, and CPG industries. She has worked with iconic global brands including Nike, Levi’s, and Adidas, and has led the growth and creative direction of major cultural and B2B events such as Project, Coterie, ComplexCon, and BeautyCon.
Emilie’s career highlights include spearheading the rebrand and revitalization of the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles, founding the Room4 Agency wholesale showroom, and launching the boutique retail concept Please & Thank You, both online and in-store.
Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President and Brand Leader at MJBiz, where she drives marketing strategy, content, and brand evolution for the cannabis industry’s most influential platform.
Above all, Emilie is proudest of her role as a mom to two incredible boys. Her creative vision, collaborative leadership, and ability to deliver impact continue to set her apart in every chapter of her career.


14:15
14:15
Pitches
This pitch session will involve presentations from different companies, each with immense potential in the cannabis space. The Talman House Portfolio provides a range of opportunities, from pure startups to operators with established distribution channels and market traction. Companies from Europe and around the world will be represented in these rapid-fire presentations, with eight (8) minute pitches followed by seven (7) minute Q&A sessions.
Pitches
Our team of ‘Sharks’ evaluate cutting-edge cannabis companies
This pitch session will involve presentations from different companies, each with immense potential in the cannabis space. The Talman House Portfolio provides a range of opportunities, from pure startups to operators with established distribution channels and market traction. Companies from Europe and around the world will be represented in these rapid-fire presentations, with eight (8) minute pitches followed by seven (7) minute Q&A sessions.
Sharks

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer, Sullivan Adventures LLC; Partner, New Holland Group

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer – Sullivan Adventures LLC
Partner: New Holland Group
Keynote Speaker – Advisor – Investor
Jeanne M. Sullivan is a passionate about delivering ideas – information – and inspiration to entrepreneurs – Sullivan has been early to various sectors – investing in tech infrastructure, the internet wave, cloud-based computing, data aggregation and early in the cannabis sector. She is thrilled to leverage years in this industry and support entrepreneurs seeking European-based cannabis opportunities.
She co-founded an early-stage cannabis fund and is a frequent speaker on the conference circuit. Sullivan has been part of the Arcview Group and Arcview Ventures since 2015.
Jeanne co-founded StarVest Partners, a venture capital firm in NYC raising $400 million to invest in tech-enabled business services companies. Prior to her venture experience with StarVest and Olivetti Ventures, Jeanne gained her operating experience with AT&T and Bell Labs while serving in product and industry marketing roles.
Ms. Sullivan has served on the board of multiple technology and cannabis companies and has extensive experience creating “go to market” plans for growth and expansion stage companies. Her expertise also includes strategy, an understanding of the tech and cannabis landscape and industry trends. Sullivan lives in New York City.
Connect: Linkedin.com/in/jeannemsullivan

David Hyde
David Hyde
Founder, Hyde Advisory & Investments

David Hyde

Emilie Lewis
Emilie Lewis
Senior Vice President; Brand Leader MJBiz™ • MJBizCon®

Emilie Lewis
Emilie Lewis is a seasoned brand strategist and marketing leader with over 20 years of experience across fashion, lifestyle, and CPG industries. She has worked with iconic global brands including Nike, Levi’s, and Adidas, and has led the growth and creative direction of major cultural and B2B events such as Project, Coterie, ComplexCon, and BeautyCon.
Emilie’s career highlights include spearheading the rebrand and revitalization of the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles, founding the Room4 Agency wholesale showroom, and launching the boutique retail concept Please & Thank You, both online and in-store.
Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President and Brand Leader at MJBiz, where she drives marketing strategy, content, and brand evolution for the cannabis industry’s most influential platform.
Above all, Emilie is proudest of her role as a mom to two incredible boys. Her creative vision, collaborative leadership, and ability to deliver impact continue to set her apart in every chapter of her career.
14:50
14:50
From Pitch to Pressure Test
This interactive session flips the traditional panel format. Instead of moderators driving the conversation, Talman members become the investment committee and engage directly with pitching companies. In this live, unscripted session, the pitching companies will be asked unfiltered questions, just as they would in a real due diligence meeting. Capital structure, go-to-market strategy, regulatory exposure, scalability, partnerships, exit logic… No topic is off limits.
Designed to pressure-test companies in real time, this session sharpens founder narratives while giving investors early insight and context. Intentionally dynamic, the live investor Q&A will deepen engagement and foster genuine investor-founder chemistry before anyone ever exchanges a business card.
From Pitch to Pressure Test
This interactive session flips the traditional panel format. Instead of moderators driving the conversation, Talman members become the investment committee and engage directly with pitching companies. In this live, unscripted session, the pitching companies will be asked unfiltered questions, just as they would in a real due diligence meeting. Capital structure, go-to-market strategy, regulatory exposure, scalability, partnerships, exit logic… No topic is off limits.
Designed to pressure-test companies in real time, this session sharpens founder narratives while giving investors early insight and context. Intentionally dynamic, the live investor Q&A will deepen engagement and foster genuine investor-founder chemistry before anyone ever exchanges a business card.
15:20
15:20
Fireside Chat With M. Brooks Jorgensen
M. Brooks Jorgensen is the President and CEO of the industry-leading United States-based holding company Canopy USA. With its powerhouse portfolio of brands, including Wana, Jetty, and Acreage’s Superflux, as well as The Botanist retail locations, Mr. Jorgensen’s leadership of Canopy USA is helping one of the world’s top cannabis companies reach its full potential in the U.S. market. Mr. Jorgensen will sit down with Jeanne Sullivan for an intimate conversation about Canopy USA’s current pursuits, the state of the legal U.S. cannabis industry, and how the recently announced federal rescheduling in the U.S. will alter the course of the global cannabis industry.
Fireside Chat With M. Brooks Jorgensen
M. Brooks Jorgensen is the President and CEO of the industry-leading United States-based holding company Canopy USA. With its powerhouse portfolio of brands, including Wana, Jetty, and Acreage’s Superflux, as well as The Botanist retail locations, Mr. Jorgensen’s leadership of Canopy USA is helping one of the world’s top cannabis companies reach its full potential in the U.S. market. Mr. Jorgensen will sit down with Jeanne Sullivan for an intimate conversation about Canopy USA’s current pursuits, the state of the legal U.S. cannabis industry, and how the recently announced federal rescheduling in the U.S. will alter the course of the global cannabis industry.

M. Brooks Jorgensen
M. Brooks Jorgensen
President, Canopy USA

M. Brooks Jorgensen
Brooks Jorgensen guides CUSA’s portfolio of brands toward profitable growth and operational excellence across the U.S. cannabis market. In his role, Brooks oversees a unified leadership structure, with each brand leader and shared services head reporting directly to him, ensuring a cohesive, scalable approach across sales, marketing, operations, and distribution.
Brooks brings more than 25 years of experience in high-growth industries, including cannabis, wine, and spirits. Prior to joining Canopy USA, he was President of Kiva Sales & Service, growing the company from a small cannabis distributor into the largest full-service distributor in the United States. Earlier in his career, Brooks held a series of leadership roles with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, ultimately serving as Vice President and General Manager of Fine Wine for Southern Glazer’s of Texas, and gained additional experience with Moet Hennessy USA.
Throughout his career, Brooks has built high-performing teams, driven innovative commercial strategies, and delivered measurable growth across multi-brand portfolios. At Canopy USA, he is focused on elevating brand performance, expanding market presence, and integrating operations to create a unified, market-leading platform across key adult-use and hemp-derived segments.

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer, Sullivan Adventures LLC; Partner, New Holland Group
Interviewer

Jeanne M. Sullivan
Chief Inspiration Officer – Sullivan Adventures LLC
Partner: New Holland Group
Keynote Speaker – Advisor – Investor
Jeanne M. Sullivan is a passionate about delivering ideas – information – and inspiration to entrepreneurs – Sullivan has been early to various sectors – investing in tech infrastructure, the internet wave, cloud-based computing, data aggregation and early in the cannabis sector. She is thrilled to leverage years in this industry and support entrepreneurs seeking European-based cannabis opportunities.
She co-founded an early-stage cannabis fund and is a frequent speaker on the conference circuit. Sullivan has been part of the Arcview Group and Arcview Ventures since 2015.
Jeanne co-founded StarVest Partners, a venture capital firm in NYC raising $400 million to invest in tech-enabled business services companies. Prior to her venture experience with StarVest and Olivetti Ventures, Jeanne gained her operating experience with AT&T and Bell Labs while serving in product and industry marketing roles.
Ms. Sullivan has served on the board of multiple technology and cannabis companies and has extensive experience creating “go to market” plans for growth and expansion stage companies. Her expertise also includes strategy, an understanding of the tech and cannabis landscape and industry trends. Sullivan lives in New York City.
Connect: Linkedin.com/in/jeannemsullivan
Location




















Upcoming Events

Talman House – Berlin
Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin, Germany
13 April 2026
Join us in Berlin, across the iconic Brandenburg Gate on April 13th at the 5 star Hotel Adlon Kempinski. We will be presenting the latest opportunities in Europe and beyond, including our invaluable analysis of industry trends across the EU and the world.
Past Events

Talman House – Munich
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, Munich, Germany
8 November 2024

Talman House – Zurich
The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland
21 February 2025

Talman House – Berlin
Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin, Germany
28 April 2025

Talman House – Brussels
Embassy of the Republic Slovenia to Belgium and Luxembourg
15 May 2025

Talman House – Zurich
The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland
20 February 2026











































































