OTTAWA, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Net Zero Company Ltd. (“NZC”), a specialized emissions reduction and offsetting company, is pleased to announce that it has rebranded as Invert Inc., while welcoming an expanded leadership team of seasoned entrepreneurs.
Invert will continue to work with corporate clients to help them reduce their carbon footprint via comprehensive emissions reduction strategies, while facilitating the offset of hard-to-abate emissions through the purchase of high quality carbon offset credits. Additionally, the Company is focused on identifying, reviewing, and ultimately funding carbon credit projects that will produce high quality, meaningful carbon reduction credits, and is pleased to announce an expanded strategic focus that includes a carbon offset consumer platform.
In addition to an expanded vision, the company has added strength to its executive team with the addition of Mark Zekulin as Executive Chairman and Rade Kovacevic as Co-CEO, sharing chief executive duties with current CEO Andre Fernandez. Phil Shaer has also joined as Corporate Secretary and General Counsel and Ben Quirin as Head of Asia-Pacific.
Mark is a lawyer and entrepreneur with significant experience navigating complex regulatory and commercial environments. He is the former CEO of Canopy Growth Corporation and played a pivotal role in scaling the Ottawa-area start-up from inception to a $20-billion market leader in the cannabis space, garnering recognition as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures. He holds a Master of Law from the University of Cambridge where he studied international and environmental law, and is a Fellow at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Rade Kovacevic has been a lifelong entrepreneur, is a Founding Partner of The Greater Return and the former President of Canopy Growth Corporation. During his time at Canopy Growth, Rade built a portfolio of industry leading brands, established new product categories and scaled revenue from $2.4MM to over $540MM annually with operations to match. Rade holds a BA from the University of Guelph and graduated from the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Phil Shaer has been a top lawyer in Canada for over twenty years, and a senior executive for over fifteen at both privately held and publicly traded companies. He brings extensive M&A experience, as well as intellectual property expertise. Having previously led advocacy, government relations and human resources, as well as legal, Phil has a deep understanding of the value and application of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices and of corporate governance best practices.
Ben Quirin has over 20 years of global leadership in the telecommunications, technology and pharmaceutical sectors, where he has launched new products and led business development in new and emerging markets. Ben brings a wealth of experience having lived and worked across various continents, establishing products and brands in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
Learn more about Invert (including ways to join our growing team) by visiting www.join.invert.world
About Invert
Invert is an ambitious group of experts, entrepreneurs, and engineers who have come together with a common purpose: to give individuals and businesses the tools, information, and insight they need to make a meaningful impact on climate change.
We believe that a group of likeminded people working towards a shared goal can dramatically alter the course of the future. That’s what we’re doing, and that’s why we’ve built this Company .
We are investing in carbon removal and reduction projects that we believe will help save our world while forming the foundation of an incredible business. Invert believes in making the world of carbon credits accessible to everyone, big or small.
About Mark Zekulin
Mark is a lawyer and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience navigating complex regulatory and commercial environments. He is a Founding Partner at The Greater Return, a mission-oriented private investment company focussed on investing in early-stage companies that are building disruptive and resilient, future-focussed companies.
As the former President and CEO of Canopy Growth Corporation, Mark built one of Canada’s most successful start-ups over the past decade, growing to become a NYSE-listed, multi-billion dollar enterprise with over 4400 staff located across five continents. During Mark’s leadership at Canopy Growth, its culture, products, and marketing campaigns all garnered recognition and awards, including as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures. In 2019, the Toronto Stock Exchange named Canopy Growth as the top performing stock over the preceding three years on its inaugural TSX30 listing. The Company also attracted an unprecedented $5 billion investment from Fortune 500 beverage alcohol company Constellation Brands, and partnered with leading cultural icons including Drake, Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogen and Martha Stewart.
A lawyer by training, Mark has practiced international trade law and holds a Master of Law from the University of Cambridge, where he specialized in International Law. Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40, Mark is also a Co-Founder and Director of the Happy Roots Foundation, a private charitable foundation committed to supporting the healthy development of children’s minds and bodies, the Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, and a Fellow at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
About Rade Kovacevic
Rade Kovacevic has been a lifelong entrepreneur, founding Cerium Media in 1998, the Medical Cannabis Centre of Guelph in 2006, MedCannAccess in 2013 and The Greater Return in 2021. Two years after founding, MedCannAccess was acquired by Canopy Growth Corporation where Rade held roles in increasing seniority culminating as President. During his time at Canopy Growth, Rade built a portfolio of industry leading brands, established new product categories and scaled revenue from $2.4MM to over $540MM annually and operations to match.
Rade has a history of being able to bring key stakeholders together, from his past work with the Guelph and Ontario Chambers of Commerce, to co-founding the Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries (now the Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers) and the Canadian Medical Cannabis Industry Association (now the Cannabis Council of Canada). Rade holds a Baccalaureate of Arts degree from the University of Guelph and graduated from the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.
About Phil Shaer
Phil has been a lawyer for over twenty years, commencing his career at McCarthy Tetrault, where he was part of the M&A/Corporate Finance Group, then moving inhouse to eventually become both General Counsel and Chief Licensing Officer at MOSAID Technologies Inc. (formerly Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.), and most recently, Canopy Growth Corporation’s Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary.
Over his fifteen years as an executive, Phil has not only been responsible for managing and growing Legal Departments, he’s also had responsibility for Advocacy, Business and Market Research, Chief Medical Office/Product Safety, Government Relations, and Human Resources Departments. He’s also been directly responsible for tens of millions in revenue generation, and has overseen billions of dollars in mergers and acquisitions, and investments spanning several dozens of deals.
Phil obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Windsor in 2000, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (with a minor in French) from Université Laval. Phil received the Ottawa Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 Award in 2008, was a finalist in Lexpert®’s Rising Stars—Leading Lawyers Under 40 in 2011, received the Dealmakers (Small Department) Innovation Award in 2017 and received the CGCA Deal Maker of the Year Award in 2019.
Phil is an avid crossfitter, and spends most of his time hanging out with his wife and two teenage daughters.
About Ben Quirin
Ben joins Invert with over 20 years of global leadership experience gained from the Telecommunications, Technology and Pharmaceutical sector. Ben brings a wealth of experience having lived and worked across various continents. He has been responsible for assessing, launching, and developing emerging markets and establishing products and brands across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC).
Most recently Ben was the Regional Managing Director for Canopy Growth in Asia Pacific (APAC), leading the development and execution of the regional strategy in a newly regulated market, which provided greater exposure to a highly regulated environment which was evolving due to advocacy and industry pressure for ‘Change for Good.’
Having lived and worked internationally, Ben understands the many challenges corporations face in the complex global business environment. Ben thrives upon the challenges that come with establishing a new industry or business and brings forward a unique and authentic approach to delivering results and overcoming obstacles.
Forward Looking Statement
This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements about expected shareholder returns experienced by clients on NZC (& Invert) By their nature, forward-looking statements require The Net Zero Company (& Invert) to make assumptions and predictions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and other factors (many of which are beyond our control) which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Net Zero Company (& Invert) disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law.
