TORONTO, Oct. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scythian Biosciences Corp. (the "Company" or “Scythian”) (CSE:SCYB) (Frankfurt:9SB) (OTC – Nasdaq Intl:SCCYF) announced today Brady Cobb, a leading voice in the medical cannabis industry, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Effective October 3, 2018, Mr. Cobb replaces Rob Reid, who has stepped down to focus on European Cannabis Investment opportunities and will remain as an active member of the Board of Directors and key person in driving the company’s strategic direction.



“I am extremely grateful to have served Scythian and proud of what our team has accomplished,” said Rob Reid. “I will be stepping down with nothing but appreciation and admiration for my colleagues as I shift my focus to European Cannabis Investment opportunities.”

In addition, the Company has named Chairman Andy DeFrancesco to the position of Chief Investment Officer effective November 1, 2018. In this role, Andy will continue driving Scythian’s strategic plan through identifying and evaluating expansion opportunities accretive to the company’s existing holdings throughout the United States and beyond to ensure further value creation and growth in stockholder value.

“Brady’s expertise in navigating corporate, legal and regulatory issues affecting medical cannabis on both the federal and state levels, in addition to his productive relationships with significant industry influencers and knowledge of business operations, is invaluable as Scythian embarks on building out a portfolio of cannabis companies across the United States,” said Andy DeFrancesco. “Through deliberate and concise action, Brady has been a leader in advocating for federal marijuana policy reform through his extensive network of political contacts in Washington, D.C. and within state legislative circles, and is experienced in cannabis regulatory compliance, complex license transfer/change of ownership transactions, and related mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and compliance/shareholder disclosure issues with the TSX, CSE and NASDAQ.”

Mr. Cobb formed a strategic relationship with the BGR Group, a Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm headed by former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. Working with BGR, Mr. Cobb has been a proponent of the Rohrabacher-Leahy amendment to the 2018 Congressional omnibus appropriations bill, which affords protections to the medical cannabis market from Department of Justice enforcement.

Additionally, Mr. Cobb has been a proponent of new FDA standards for medical cannabis products, the States Act (to de-schedule cannabis in states that have legalized its use), the MEDS Act (which seeks to vastly expand federally approved research to validate the medical use of cannabis), the Hemp Farming Act (to de-schedule and legalize hemp and CBD products) and initiatives to address and remediate banking and credit card processing issues faced by the cannabis industry as well as crafting legislation to alleviate immigration issues for Canadian’s who lawfully participate in the regulated medical cannabis marketplace.

Mr. Cobb was Chief Legal Officer for Liberty Health Sciences, Inc. (LHS:CSE) through July of 2018, and has owned and operated his South Florida based boutique business and governmental relations law firm since 2012. Prior to forming Cobb Eddy, PLLC, Cobb served as a director at Tripp Scott, P.A., a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, nationally acclaimed law firm where he specialized in government relations and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Cobb has been recognized as a member of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and has been named annually since 2015 as a Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star. He is quoted frequently as a cannabis expert by the news media.

He holds a law degree from Barry University School of Law and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Florida State University.

About Scythian Biosciences Corp.

Scythian is an international cannabis company with a focus on legal U.S. states. Its strategic investments and partnerships across cultivation, distribution and retail complement the company’s R&D program with the University of Miami. It is this comprehensive approach that is positioning Scythian as a future frontrunner in the United States medical cannabis industry.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Scythian Biosciences Corp.

Rob Reid, Director

Phone: (212) 729-9208

Email: info@scythianbio.com