The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) announced Monday the appointment of Suzanne Bergeron to the position of president and CEO. She will take office on November 27.

Ms. Bergeron notably worked for 18 years at Sodexo, a global food services and facilities and equipment management company, where she held the positions of President of Canadian Operations and Global Director of Talent Management.

The SQDC highlighted Ms. Bergeron’s 20 years of experience in strategic management, talent development and strategic executive succession planning.

The SQDC had been led on an interim basis since June, by its vice-president of finance, Robert Dalcourt. He took the helm of the state corporation following the appointment of the former CEO of the state corporation, Jacques Farcy, to the same position at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) .

When publishing its most recent quarterly results in September, the cannabis retailer recalled that employees at 24 of its branches were still on strike, or approximately a quarter of its workforce. These establishments remain open, but their hours are reduced.

The labor dispute, which pits the company against employees represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), began in May 2022. Negotiations between the two parties are taking place with the chief conciliator of the Ministry of Labour, a indicated the SQDC last month.