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
and
True Anomaly Space Defence Executive
Joins Defence Holdings PLC
to 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."
About Defence Holdings PLC
(ALRT)
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