Vice Chairman Appointed to NATO NIAG CoW

Non-Executive Vice Chairman James Norwood Appointed to NATO NIAG Coalition of the Willing

Defence Holdings PLC (LSE: ALRT), the UK's first listed software-led defence company, is pleased to announce that its Non-Executive Vice Chairman, James Norwood, has been invited to join the Coalition of the Willing (CoW), a select group of industry experts supporting the NATO Industry Advisory Group (NIAG).

The Coalition of the Willing is composed of senior industrial leaders who provide expertise, research, and strategic insights to NIAG representatives across tasking, studies, and initiatives. Members of the Coalition serve in a personal capacity, not as company delegates, and may in due course be elected to full NIAG membership when spaces become available.

James Norwood's appointment places Defence Holdings directly alongside senior executives from leading primes and disruptive technology companies in shaping NATO-aligned priorities. His inclusion reflects both his personal expertise and the growing recognition of Defence Holdings' role in contributing to the sovereign digital capability agenda.

The Coalition of the Willing convenes this morning at DSEI 2025, where James Norwood will participate in what is expected to be a full NATO welcoming committee to the exhibition, underscoring the visibility and strategic significance of his appointment.

Strategic Significance for Defence Holdings

Participation in the Coalition of the Willing provides Defence Holdings with:

• Direct involvement in early-stage NATO tasking and studies, particularly in areas where emerging technologies and industrial cooperation are central.
• Proximity to senior decision-makers from across NATO member industries, strengthening relationships at the highest levels of defence collaboration.
• A platform to ensure the perspectives of a sovereign UK-listed technology company are embedded in NATO-industrial dialogue.

Commenting on his appointment, James Norwood, Non-Executive Vice Chairman of Defence Holdings PLC, said:

"It is an honour to join the Coalition of the Willing. This group plays an important role in shaping research, tasking and industrial cooperation within NIAG. For Defence Holdings, it demonstrates our ability to operate alongside senior leaders from both primes and disruptors, and to ensure that sovereign, software-first perspectives are represented at the very heart of NATO's industrial dialogue."