As recreational legalization approaches, Newstrike has added to the marketing and sales leadership of its licensed producer Up Cannabis, hiring Liesbeth Teerink as VP of marketing and Peter Kirkwood as VP of sales.

Teerink will oversee creative brand strategy and execution for Up Cannabis. She was most recently co-founder and CMO at talent recruitment agency Karma Casting, but also brings senior level experience from agencies including SDI Marketing, Launch, Einstein dAdO in Mexico and Saatchi & Saatchi in the Middle East and Poland.

Kirkwood will oversee and execute all sales and distribution plans for Up Cannabis, which includes demand planning, supply chain management, go-to-market strategy and helping drive sales direction in partnership with provincial regulators. He was most recently VP of sales at wine and spirits distributor Kirkwood Diamond Canada.

Both Teerink and Kirkwood will report to Jean Richer, a former Acosta exec who joined Up Cannabis as SVP of sales and marketing in November.