Chromocell Therapeutics Corp appointed Francis Knuettel II as new CEO

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. 


The board of directors (the "Board") of Chromocell Therapeutics Corporation (the "Company") has appointed Francis Knuettel II as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective March 13, 2024. Mr. Knuettel will serve as the Company's Chief Executive Officer until a successor is duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Knuettel will continue to serve in his capacity as Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of the Company.


Mr. Knuettel, 57, has served as the Company's Interim Chief Executive Officer since July 2023, and as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary since June 2022. Prior to that, from December 2020 to April 2022, he served as Chief Executive Officer and director of Unrivaled Brands, a California-based operator of cannabis assets in California and Oregon, where he helped grow revenue from an annualized rate of $10 million to $100 million in six quarters by acquiring three companies in the sector. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of ONE Cannabis Group from June 2019 to January 2021 and held various roles at MJardin Group, including Chief Strategy Officer, from August 2018 to January 2019. Prior to MJardin Group, Mr. Knuettel served as Chief Financial Officer of Aqua Metals in 2018 and held the same position at Marathon Patent Group from 2014 to 2018. During Mr. Knuettel's career, he has helped raise more than $300 million via venture equity and debt, public equity and debt offerings in the United States and Canada, convertible debt, PIPEs, bridge loans and other instruments. In addition, he has managed more than 15 mergers and acquisition transactions of companies as both buyer and seller and has handled large-scale licensing transactions with fortune 50 companies. Mr. Knuettel also holds numerous board positions at both public and private companies, including ECOM Medical since 2019, Relativity Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: RACY) since 2022, and Capstone Technologies Group Inc (OTC: CATG) since 2023. Mr. Knuettel received his BA with honors in Economics from Tufts University and holds an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.


Mr. Knuettel has advised the Company that he has no arrangements or understandings with any other person pursuant to which he was appointed Chief Executive Officer. He also advised the Company that he has no family relationships with any director, executive officer or any person nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer of the Company.


Mr. Knuettel will continue to be employed by the Company under the same terms of the amended and restated consultant agreement, as amended, with the Company.