DroneShield names Rebecca Lowde as Chief Financial Officer

DroneShield has appointed Rebecca Lowde as Chief Financial Officer as FY2026 committed revenue passed USD $250 million.

Lowde will join the counter-drone technology company on 2 November, replacing Carla Balanco, who is leaving after more than eight years with the business. Balanco, who has also served as Joint Company Secretary, will support the handover after Lowde starts.

The appointment comes with a trading update showing FY2026 committed revenue reached USD $251 million, within the company's previously stated revenue outlook range of USD $250 million to USD $270 million. Committed revenue for FY2027 and beyond stands at USD $46 million.

DroneShield has also accepted the first order for RfRecon, a recently released AI-enabled device. The hardware is due to be deployed to an existing Western European military end user by the end of 2026.

DroneShield described the RfRecon order as not material in contract value. Even so, it marks the first commercial uptake of the new product since release.

Finance hire

Lowde brings senior finance and executive experience across listed companies and technology businesses. Most recently, she was Chief Financial Officer at MYOB, where she oversaw debt refinancing and EBITDA growth.

Earlier roles included Chief Financial Officer and Chief People Officer at Afterpay, where she was involved in an AUD $1.5 billion capital raising and the company's AUD $39 billion acquisition by Block. She has also held Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer roles at Salmat, as well as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer positions at Bravura Solutions.

Her credentials include CPA status, graduation from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and membership of Chief Executive Women. The appointment adds a finance executive with experience in governance, capital management, mergers and acquisitions, and scaling technology businesses.

In comments released by the company, Angus Bean, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, linked the appointment to the group's recent commercial progress.

"We are delighted to welcome Rebecca, who brings an ideal combination of public company, technology, software and transformation experience. As DroneShield continues to scale globally, her operational discipline, commercial judgement and experience through periods of rapid growth and complexity will be highly valuable. I would like to thank Carla for her commitment and support as a valued member of the team since 2018, and we wish her all the best for the future. Having over $250 million in committed revenue for 2026 and receiving the first order for RfRecon, together with Rebecca's appointment, demonstrates the strong progress we've made in recent months and the path forward in our next phase of growth," said Angus Bean, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

Hamish McLennan, Chairman, said the board selected Lowde after a competitive search process.

"Rebecca's appointment is another important step in strengthening DroneShield as it scales globally. Following a competitive process, the Board agreed that her listed company, governance, transaction and international technology experience make her an ideal fit for the company's next phase of growth," said Hamish McLennan, Chairman.

Revenue update

The latest figure suggests DroneShield has continued converting orders into contracted sales since its first-half results. The announcement did not break down the new committed revenue by geography or customer segment.

DroneShield operates in the market for counter-drone and autonomous systems defence products, supplying systems used to detect, track, identify and disrupt drone threats. Its customers include military, government, law enforcement, critical infrastructure and commercial organisations.

The update also gives a clearer view of the company's near-term order book. With FY2026 committed revenue at USD $251 million and a further USD $46 million committed for FY2027 and later periods, the business has disclosed a contracted base extending beyond the current financial year.

The first RfRecon order adds a product milestone to that order book, even if the contract is not financially material. The customer is an existing Western European military end user, indicating the sale came through an established defence relationship rather than a first-time buyer.

Balanco's departure marks a further management change as the company expands. After Lowde's arrival, Balanco will remain available to assist with transition arrangements as needed.