Pharos Brands adds Brown-Forman and Proximo veteran as CFO, COO

Pharos Brands International has named spirits veteran Stephane Cantin chief financial officer and chief operating officer as the Delta-9 THC beverage maker expands distribution and braces for tighter federal rules. The company also brought in deal attorney Lawrence Waks as counsel while sales and retail reach continue to rise.

Why it matters: - Pharos Brands is adding executives with deep experience in regulated beverage categories as hemp-derived THC drinks face growing scrutiny. - The hires point to a push for tighter compliance, stronger operations and more deal-ready structure before federal rules fully arrive. - The moves come as Pharos scales retail distribution and tries to position itself for broader growth in alcohol-licensed channels.

What happened: - Pharos Brands International named Stephane Cantin chief financial officer and chief operating officer, effective Sept. 8. - Pharos also retained Lawrence Waks, a partner at Sterlington PLLC, as counsel. - Cantin spent more than 20 years in the spirits industry, most recently at Proximo Spirits. - Pharos added Matt Smith, a 15-year PepsiCo beverage veteran, as president and CEO in August.

The details: - Cantin previously led contract manufacturing and supply network optimization at Proximo Spirits. - Brown-Forman Corporation employed Cantin for two decades in senior roles in the U.S. and Europe. - His Brown-Forman roles included director of external manufacturing operations for Europe and the Americas. - Cantin ran a co-packing network across seven countries and multimillion-case production volumes. - He also served as general manager of Chambord Liqueur in France and as director of manufacturing operations for Western Europe. - Cantin has served on Pharos' advisory board since spring 2026. - Pharos said Cantin will oversee finance and operations as the company expands distribution and prepares for federal requirements including labeling standards, age verification and domestic sourcing. - Waks advised on the $1 billion sale of Casamigos Tequila to Diageo. - Waks also advised on the $600 million sale of Aviation Gin to Diageo. - Waks advised on the sale of Conor McGregor's Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey to Proximo Spirits. - Cantin began his career as controller of winery operations for Fetzer Vineyards and Sonoma-Cutrer in California. - Cantin holds a master's in management from École Supérieure de Commerce de Lyon, a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal and a Bachelor of Laws from Université de Montréal. - Pharos produces premium Delta-9 THC beverages for adults 21 and over and says the brand is aimed at adults 55 and up. - The company is headquartered in Billings, Montana, and was co-founded by Rhyno Stinchfield and Mary Bernuth. - Pharos products are sold only where permitted by applicable state law. - Pharos is carried in 401 retail locations across six states, up from 74 a year ago. - The company sells exclusively into alcohol-licensed accounts through Green Light Distributing in Florida, Crown Beverage in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, Keg1 in Missouri and Capitol Husting in Wisconsin. - Sales grew 153.5% over the same period. - Pharos' Mango flavor won Double Gold with a score of 97 at the 2026 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Tasting Competition. - Pharos is an active member of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives. - Cantin has been active in the Hemp Beverage Alliance for the past 18 months. - Those groups advocate for responsible regulation of hemp-derived beverages and alignment with alcohol industry's compliance and distribution framework.

Between the lines: - Pharos is building a leadership team that looks more like a mature spirits company than an early-stage cannabis or hemp startup. - Bringing in a CFO/COO with manufacturing and supply-chain depth suggests the company expects operational complexity to rise. - Hiring a deal lawyer with major spirits transactions on his resume signals preparation for partnerships, regulatory shifts or future capital moves. - The emphasis on compliance, route-to-market standards and adult-use positioning reflects an effort to normalize hemp beverages within established alcohol-industry channels. - Mary Bernuth's comments suggest Pharos wants to keep growing methodically rather than chasing rapid expansion.

What's next: - Pharos said Cantin will help prepare the company for labeling, age-verification and domestic-sourcing requirements. - The company plans to debut its Pharos Compass education program in October. - Pharos appears focused on adding infrastructure before the category's regulatory framework is finalized.

The bottom line: - Pharos is betting that experienced operators and early compliance planning will matter more than speed in the next phase of the hemp beverage market.