Summit Commitee
Trenton Birch
Trenton is Co-Founder and CEO of Cheeba Africa and a recognised African education pioneer. He is a founding member of Bridges for Music and leads Cheeba’s vision across education, culture, innovation and future-focused industries.
Linda Siboto
Linda is Co-Founder of Cheeba Africa and a strategic connector with decades of experience building partnerships and unlocking opportunity. She leads media strategy and business development with a strong focus on purpose-driven growth.
Mags Govender
Mags Govender is a seasoned sales and business development executive with over 20 years’ experience in the corporate technology sector. He drives partnerships and commercial growth across Africa, with a strong commitment to education and impact.
Atiyyah Ferouz
Atiyyah is a plant scientist, international Cannabis consultant and founder of AgCann Consultancy, specialising in quality assurance, tissue culture and operations across emerging markets. She also serves as Executive Director of the International Cannabis Quality Standards Association and Director of the Summit.
Jillian Reddish
Jillian is a Cannabis sociologist, strategist and author focused on equity, community empowerment and evidence-based policy. Her work bridges academic research with real-world industry and social justice outcomes across global markets. She is a Co-founder of the GNCU.
Mahlatse Mohlala
Mahlatse is the Founder and Managing Director of Green Route Hemp Industries, South Africa’s first integrated hemp-based textiles business. With a background in Geography and Environmental Science and experience in large-scale wind farm projects, he leads the company’s strategy, value chain development and regulatory engagement—advancing South Africa’s sustainable fibre economy.
Morris Beegle
Morris Beegle is an entrepreneur and global advocate for hemp and the broader bio-based economy, and co-founder and strategic director of the Bio-Smart Group. His work connects agriculture, innovation, and industry to advance natural materials, resilient farming systems, and next-generation supply chains.
Through media platforms, industry collaboration, and international dialogue, he works to advance emerging markets around plant-based materials and natural product innovation.
Chris Day
Chris is a global Cannabis industry leader and co-founder of the Global Cannabis Network Collective. He connects C-suite executives, drives international deal flow and supports sustainable growth across emerging Cannabis markets worldwide.
Paul Benhaim
Paul Benhaim is a global hemp and Cannabis industry pioneer who has founded and scaled hemp food, plastics and wellness ventures since the 1990s. He is Chairman of The Hemp Plastic Company and advises governments and multinationals on sustainable bio-materials and health innovation.