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DroneShield has appointed Rebecca Lowde as Chief Financial Officer, as committed revenue for the financial year passes AUD $250 million.
Lowde will join the counter-drone technology group in November, replacing Carla Balanco, who is leaving after more than eight years with the business. Balanco will support the handover after Lowde arrives.
In a trading update, DroneShield put committed revenue for the financial year at AUD $251 million, up from the previously reported AUD $240 million. That figure now sits within the company's revenue outlook range of AUD $250 million to AUD $270 million for the year. Committed revenue for the following year and beyond stands at AUD $46 million.
DroneShield also disclosed the first order for RfRecon, a recently launched AI-enabled drone detection device. The hardware is due to be deployed to an existing Western European military customer by the end of the year.
The company described the RfRecon order as not material in contract value, but significant as an early commercial sale for the new product. The customer was not named.
Lowde joins with experience across listed companies and technology businesses. Most recently, she was Chief Financial Officer at MYOB, where she oversaw a debt refinancing and EBITDA growth linked to product monetisation, embedded financial services and cost controls.
Before that, she was Chief Financial Officer and Chief People Officer at Afterpay, where she worked through an AUD $1.5 billion capital raising and the company's AUD $39 billion acquisition by Block. Earlier roles included Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Salmat, and Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer at Bravura Solutions.
She is a CPA, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.
Leadership change
The finance leadership change comes as DroneShield reports stronger order conversion and broader demand from defence customers. Its committed revenue measure covers hardware, services, warranties and subscriptions scheduled for delivery in the period, based on confirmed purchase orders and prevailing exchange rates at the time of reporting.
The latest update carries added weight because it reflects contracted orders rather than a pipeline target. At AUD $251 million, committed revenue is higher than the level disclosed less than three weeks earlier.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Angus Bean commented on the appointment and recent trading 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," said Angus Bean, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of DroneShield.
On Balanco's departure, Bean said: "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."
On the revenue milestone and the first RfRecon order, he said: "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."
Board view
Chairman Hamish McLennan said the board sees the hire as part of a broader effort to strengthen the management team as the business expands.
"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 of DroneShield.
DroneShield operates in the market for systems that detect, identify and counter drone threats for military, government, law enforcement, infrastructure and commercial users. The latest update indicates the group is converting demand into firm orders as it expands its product line, with AUD $251 million in committed revenue now booked for the current financial year.