Aurora Cannabis Inc. has named Simona King, a former executive of pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers-Squibb, as chief financial officer, effective Feb. 21. 

Current CFO Glen Ibbott has stepped down from his full-time role to pursue new opportunities. He will remain in an advisory role over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.

King brings more than 25 years of finance leadership experience, with deep business knowledge and proven success with global and emerging organizations. She served nearly 20 years with Bristol Myers-Squibb, where she held increasingly senior finance roles and enabled the company's growth strategy. 

In recent years, King has spread her professional reach, joining public companies in emerging sectors, including biotech. She served most recently as the CFO of a number of clinical stage biotechnology companies.

"As our company continues to evolve, we are thrilled to welcome Simona King to Aurora,” CEO Miguel Martin said. “Simona has spent her career growing businesses, improving operational efficiencies and leading a best- in-class global financial organization. Her deep operational and financial knowledge, combined with her extensive experience across many corporate functions and deep commitment to developing talent, make her uniquely positioned to help lead Aurora into its next phase of growth. On behalf of our Board of Directors, and the entire Aurora team, I would like to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to Glen. Since 2017, Glen has dedicated immeasurable time, energy and passion to shaping Aurora into a leading medical cannabis company, and we have been fortunate to have his leadership over the years as we navigated this emerging industry. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors."