Appointment of Deputy Chairman

Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company with gold project interests in Africa and Europe, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Atkins to the Board as Deputy Chairman of the Company.

Michael William Atkins

• Atkins has had a successful career as an Executive and Non-Executive Chairman and Director of numerous listed Australian companies. He brings extensive international experience, having worked in more than 15 countries across Africa (including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Djibouti, and South Africa), North America (the USA and Canada), Southeast Asia, China, and Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and the UK). He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia.
• Atkins' experience in African gold projects will be especially valuable, notably through his role as the Founder and Executive Chairman of Gallery Gold Ltd ("Gallery"). In this capacity, he was responsible for the acquisition of the Galane Gold Project in Botswana, which is also situated in the same Zimbabwe Craton as Ariana's Dokwe Project. Gallery successfully developed the Galane Gold Project, which was later sold to IAMGold and became an operating gold mine at 100,000 ounces per annum. He was also Chairman of Azumah Resources Limited, which advanced its Wa Gold Project in Ghana, West Africa, to a Reserve of over 1 million ounces of gold.

Other roles of Mr Atkins include Managing Director of Beach Petroleum during its restructuring in 1990-92, and Chairman of Westgold Resources Limited, where he restructured it from an oil and gas company to a gold explorer. Westgold then went on to acquire the Central Murchison Gold Project and later merged with MetalsX Limited.

• Atkins remains a Non-Executive Director of SRG Global Limited and Memphasys Limited, both ASX-listed companies, and Corporate Consultant to ASX and AIM-listed European Metals Holdings Limited, which is developing the largest hard rock lithium project in Europe.
• Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"We are very pleased to welcome Michael Atkins to the Ariana Board as Deputy Chairman. Michael's longstanding expertise in corporate governance, capital raising on the ASX, restructuring, and deal-making is internationally noteworthy.

"We believe his extensive corporate network and residing in Australia will be invaluable in Ariana's ASX dual-listing, and his specific experience operating successful mining companies, particularly in southern Africa, is impressive, as we continue to progress our over 1 million ounces Dokwe Gold Project in Zimbabwe through feasibility. Michael's appointment will complement the current Board and he will become Chair of a new Board committee tasked with Company-wide transformation, positioning it for future growth and success."

AIM Rules Disclosures

Michael William Atkins currently holds or has held the following directorships and partnerships in the last five years:

• Atkins holds no ordinary shares or options in the Company.

Other than as provided in this announcement, no other disclosures in relation to Mr. Atkins are required under Rule 17 and schedule 2 (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.