Cellular Goods appoints consumer goods veteran Anna Chokina as CEO

The Board of Cellular Goods plc is pleased to announce the appointment of Anna Chokina as Chief Executive Officer and Director to drive the Company’s next stage of growth following the launch of its inaugural product range on 1 December 2021.

Anna succeeds Alexis Abraham, who becomes Chief Strategy Officer, and both appointments take effect from 6 December 2021.

Anna is a highly successful and experienced executive having spent more than 20 years in senior level roles in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. She was previously the Vice President of Global Colour Cosmetics, Global Face Care and Personal Care at Avon where she established a solid track record of implementing business transformation in a competitive environment. Moreover, during her tenure at Avon, Anna successfully launched Avon’s first-ever lines of cannabidiol (CBD) based products for the personal care and skincare market. Prior to that Anna was General Manager of L’Oreal Paris for Russia, delivering three consecutive years of growth despite an economic recession.

Her other previous senior roles included leading the $800 million snacks portfolio for PepsiCo Russia and, prior to that, a decade managing large portfolios for Procter & Gamble including feminine hygiene, healthcare and pet care in both the US and the UK.

Alexis, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since February 2021, successfully led the Company through its first stage of development, its flotation on the London Stock Exchange and the launch of its first range of skincare and ingestibles in less than a year. In his new role Alexis will be focussing on brand positioning and product development. He remains a Director on the Board.

Peter Wall, Chairman of Cellular Goods, said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Alexis for his hard work and ongoing commitment to Cellular Goods. Under his leadership the Company has established a strong foundation as the first pure-play consumer cannabinoid brand to list on the LSE and successfully launched its inaugural product ranges just nine months after the start-up of commercial operations.

“Anna’s appointment heralds an exciting new chapter for Cellular as the Company enters its revenue generating phase and her deep expertise will help guide the future direction of the Company. She has a proven track record with several global consumer brands and is the right leader to drive Cellular to the next level. Our ambition for the Company is significant and clear and the entire Company and the Board look forward to working with her.”

Anna Chokina, Chief Executive of Cellular Goods, commented: “I am excited to join Cellular Goods at this point of development, following the launch of its inaugural product range. I am proud to be joining a company that produces high-quality, research-backed products and that champions the use of innovative and sustainable lab-made cannabinoids. I believe there is a significant opportunity to harness the strengths of the business to successfully deliver the planned product expansion and brand elevation. I am looking forward to working with the whole Cellular team to build a strong business for our customers, our employees, our partners and to deliver long-term value for our shareholders.”

Alexis Abraham, Chief Strategy Officer of Cellular Goods, said: “I am immensely proud to have been able to realise our growth strategy in a far shorter time period than anticipated and am delighted to pass the baton to Mrs Chokina. Last week we launched our inaugural products and Cellular Goods is ideally positioned to become the leading player in the space”.