Columbia Care Inc. has hired Derek Watson as Chief Financial Officer. Derek brings more than 30 years of finance and leadership experience to the role, including in strategy, investor relations, information technology, tax, treasury, accounting, financial planning and analysis, operational improvement, and risk management. Prior to joining Columbia Care, Derek served as the Chief Financial and Commercial Officer at Tastes on the Fly, a private equity-backed, national consumer retail company based in California.

He has also held Chief Financial Officer roles at two other consumer companies, Starr Restaurants and Samba Brands, and as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Schindler Elevator, the U.S. subsidiary of Schindler Holding AG (SCHN.SW). Derek began his career at KPMG where he spent 20 years providing audit and consulting services, including as a Partner and Practice Leader, and served private and Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries while based in London, Prague, New York and Philadelphia.