Defence Holdings Regulatory News (ALRT)

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, as retained as part of the law of England and Wales. Upon the publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 23 May 2025

London, UK

Defence Holdings PLC

("Defence" or "the Company")

Proposed Board Appointment

Former Microsoft Wargaming Executive andTrue Anomaly Space Defence ExecutiveJoins Defence Holdings PLCto Support Growth in UK and European Defence Markets

Defence Holdings PLC, the UK's first publicly listed pure-play defence technology platform, is pleased to announce the proposed appointment of Ian Yarwood-Lovett as an Independent Non-Executive Director to its Board.

The appointment is subject to the completion of customary due diligence checks by the Company's advisers. A further announcement will be made in due course, including any disclosures required under UK Listing Rule 6.4.8, should they be applicable.

Ian Yarwood-Lovett brings a unique blend of experience across gaming, strategic wargaming, and space defence technologies. A former Microsoft executive with decades of experience in the gaming sector, he co-founded the BAFTA-winning Fable franchise, widely recognised as the first fully reactive gaming world, and held leadership roles at Soho Studios, pioneers in interactive TV and game streaming; Studio Alpha, known for innovation in strategic gaming; and IndoPacom's digital wargaming initiative Stormbreaker.

Most recently, Ian led a new studio venture for US defence contractor SMX, where he applied commercial gaming and AI-enhanced technologies to strategic defence simulations. Following nine years in the United States, Ian recently returned to the UK as a dual citizen. He currently serves as Creative Director at US-based space superiority company True Anomaly, where he is responsible for designing immersive, mission-ready experiences that support operator training and decision-making in contested space environments. True Anomaly integrates hardware, software, and AI to enable national security missions in orbit, including autonomous spacecraft operations and simulation-based readiness.

Defence Holdings PLC operates at the intersection of software and security, pioneering software-led approaches to next-generation defence challenges. The Company's platform model enables rapid development and deployment of solutions across multiple domains, including drone warfare, AI-enabled sensing, secure communications, and critical infrastructure protection.

The Board believes that Ian's deep cross-sectoral experience and creative leadership in emerging defence technologies will contribute meaningfully to the Company's growth and innovation agenda.

Brian Stockbridge, Board Member of Defence Holdings PLC, commented:

"We're incredibly pleased to welcome Ian Yarwood-Lovett to the Board at Defence Holdings. His unique background at the intersection of gaming, AI, and national security brings an entirely new dimension to our strategic thinking. Ian has spent his career innovating in complex, immersive environments; exactly the kind of mindset we need as we build a software-led defence company that can anticipate and respond to next-generation threats. His appointment as our Independent Non-Executive Director marks another important step in assembling a leadership team built for the future of defence."

Ian Yarwood-Lovett, proposed Independent Non-Executive Director of Defence Holdings PLC, added:

"Joining the Board of Defence Holdings is an exciting opportunity to apply decades of creative and technical experience to a mission I deeply believe in. Defence is entering a new era where speed, autonomy, and multi-domain integration matter more than legacy scale. What excites me most about Defence Holdings is the vision: a platform model that embraces emerging technologies and challenges conventional thinking. I'm looking forward to contributing to the company's growth and helping shape solutions that matter in today's strategic environment."

Headquartered in London, Defence Holdings PLC is a publicly listed company trading under the stock ticker (ALRT) dedicated to delivering high-performance defence and security solutions for the UK and European markets. Leveraging deep capital-markets expertise and a network of technology partners, the Company intends to develop and acquire advanced sensors, AI-driven analytics, secure communications and autonomous platforms that enhance the operational advantage of its customers across land, sea, air, space and cyber domains.

Website: www.defencetechnologies.com

Media Enquiries  Name - Director, Brian Stockbridge Defence Holdings PLC Tel: +44 (0)20 3855 5551 · Email: press@defencetechnologies.com