Ava Risk Group Appoints Bryant Henson as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director to Lead Next Phase of Global Growth
Ava Risk Group Limited (ASX: AVA) (“AVA”, “Ava Risk Group” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bryant Henson as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director^, effective 24 August 2026.
Bryant joins AVA following an extensive international executive search undertaken by the Board as part of the Company’s strategy to accelerate growth across its global critical infrastructure security business. Bryant is an internationally experienced technology, defence and critical infrastructure executive with more than two decades of leadership experience building and scaling global businesses serving defence, aerospace, government, critical infrastructure and commercial security markets. Most recently, Bryant served as Executive Vice President and Global Head of Strategy and Business Development at Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), where he was responsible for leading the company’s global growth strategy, strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, market development and business development initiatives across more than 200 countries and territories.
Prior to Otis, Bryant held a number of senior executive leadership positions with L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX), including President, Tactical Communications Sector and President, Mission Avionics Sector, where he led global businesses supplying advanced communications, sensing and mission-critical technologies to defence, intelligence and government customers worldwide.
Earlier in his career, Bryant spent 16 years with Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT), holding a variety of progressively senior operational, business development and executive leadership positions across one of the world’s largest aerospace and defence companies. Throughout his career, Bryant has developed extensive experience leading complex international technology businesses, building high-performing commercial organisations, executing strategic growth initiatives and developing long-term relationships with government, defence and critical infrastructure customers across the United States and internationally.
Bryant’s appointment represents an important milestone in AVA’s evolution and reflects the Board’s increasing strategic focus on accelerating commercial growth, particularly within the United States.
Over the past several years, AVA has invested heavily in strengthening its technology platforms, expanding its product portfolio and positioning the business for scalable growth. The Company is now entering its next phase, with a renewed focus on commercial execution, market expansion and increasing shareholder value.
^subject to receipt of Australian Directors ID
During FY2026, AVA continued to expand its presence across the United States, securing projects spanning airports, critical infrastructure, defence-related applications and national security environments. The Company also strengthened its engagement with the US Federal ecosystem while advancing opportunities across corrections, energy infrastructure, communications networks, data centres and subsea cable protection. The Board believes Bryant’s extensive executive leadership experience, commercial expertise and deep understanding of the US market position AVA to accelerate its next phase of growth while continuing to expand across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
AVA Chairman David Cronin said:
“Bryant joins AVA at an exciting point in the Company’s evolution. Over recent years we have invested heavily in developing world-leading technologies, strengthening our product portfolio and repositioning the business for long-term growth. We are now entering a new phase where commercial execution, market expansion and strategic partnerships become the primary focus.”
“Bryant has led large, complex technology businesses at some of the world’s most respected organisations, including Otis, L3Harris Technologies and Lockheed Martin. His experience spans strategy, business development, commercial execution and operational leadership across the defence, aerospace and critical infrastructure sectors.”
“Importantly, Bryant’s appointment reflects the Board’s conviction that the United States represents AVA’s single largest strategic growth opportunity. We have established a very respectable presence across the US market and Bryant’s appointment significantly strengthens our ability to capitalise on that momentum while continuing to expand globally.”
“Bryant is not simply joining AVA to manage the business. He is joining to accelerate growth. We believe his experience building high-performing commercial organisations, combined with AVA’s differentiated technology and outstanding people, provides a compelling platform to create significant long-term value for our shareholders.”
Commenting on his appointment, Bryant Henson said:
“I am delighted to be joining AVA at such an important time in its development. The Company possesses an exceptional portfolio of technologies, an impressive global customer base and a highly talented team. What attracted me most is the significant opportunity to accelerate commercial growth by leveraging AVA’s proven technologies into larger global markets.”
“Demand for protecting critical infrastructure has never been stronger. Governments and commercial organisations around the world are increasing investment in protecting borders, energy infrastructure, communications networks, transport assets and data centres. AVA has developed highly differentiated technologies that are exceptionally well positioned to address these growing security challenges. I look forward to working closely with the Board, our employees, customers and strategic partners to build on AVA’s strong foundations and deliver sustainable long-term growth for shareholders.”
Bryant will be based in the United States, reflecting the strategic importance of that market to AVA’s future growth, while continuing to lead the Company’s global operations.
A summary of the material terms of Bryant Henson’s Employment Agreement is contained in the Appendix to this announcement.
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Ava Risk Group Limited.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Investor Enquiries
Alexandra Abeyratne
Sodali & Co
alexandra.abeyratne@sodali.com
+61 438 380 057
About Ava Risk Group
Ava Risk Group is a global leader in providing technologies and services to protect critical and high value assets and infrastructure. It operates three business segments – Detect, Access and Illuminate. The Detect segment manufactures and markets ‘smart’ fibre optic sensing systems for security and condition monitoring for a range of applications including perimeters, pipelines, conveyors, power cables and data networks. Access is a specialist in the development, manufacture and supply of high security biometric readers, security access control and electronic locking products. Illuminate specialises in the development and manufacture of illuminators, ANPR cameras and perimeter detectors. Ava Risk Group products and services are trusted by some of the most security conscious commercial, industrial, military and government clients in the world. www.avariskgroup.com
ENDS
Appendix
Executive Remuneration Overview
The Board has structured the CEO’s remuneration to align reward with the delivery of both annual operating performance and long-term shareholder value creation. The Short-Term Incentive (STI) is designed to reward the achievement of annual financial objectives approved by the Board, with a primary focus on EBITDA and revenue growth. The STI incorporates minimum performance thresholds, a guaranteed component for FY2027 to support the CEO’s transition into the role, and an additional outperformance incentive that rewards the delivery of results above Board-approved targets. This structure is intended to incentivise disciplined annual execution while rewarding exceptional performance.
The Long-Term Incentive (LTI) has been designed to align the CEO’s long-term remuneration with the interests of shareholders and the Company’s long-term strategic objectives. The LTI is intended to reward the creation of sustainable shareholder value rather than short-term share price movements. Vesting requires the continued employment of the CEO, achievement of annual earnings per share (EPS) performance hurdles determined by reference to Board-approved budgets, and sustained market performance demonstrated through the Company’s daily VWAP meeting or exceeding specified market performance hurdles over 60 consecutive trading days. The Board considers this combination of operational, market and retention conditions provides a balanced and appropriately demanding framework that aligns executive remuneration with sustained earnings growth and long-term shareholder value creation.
The Board considers the vesting conditions to be appropriately challenging and designed to reward sustained operational performance and long-term shareholder value creation.
Summary of Material Terms of Employment Agreement
| Executive |
Bryant Henson |
| Position |
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director^ |
| Commencement Date |
24 August 2026 |
| Employment Term |
Ongoing (no fixed term) |
| Location |
Florida, United States |
| Base Salary |
US$350,000 per annum |
| Short-Term Incentive |
Annual target STI of up to 65% of Base Salary, weighted 70% EBITDA and 30% Revenue against Board-approved annual performance objectives. For FY2027, US$68,250 of the target STI opportunity is guaranteed, subject to the terms of the Employment Agreement. |
| Outperformance Incentive |
Eligible to earn an additional incentive of up to 30% of Base Salary for performance exceeding Board-approved annual performance targets. |
| Long-Term Incentive |
A grant of 14,554,954 Options vesting equally over four years, on the terms below, subject to the Employee Benefits Plan. |
| Vesting |
Vesting is subject to continued employment, achievement of annual EPS performance hurdles determined by reference to Board-approved budgets, and satisfaction of a market performance hurdle requiring the Company’s daily VWAP to equal or exceed the applicable Market Performance Hurdle (Target Price) on each trading day during a period of 60 consecutive trading days. Where the applicable EPS hurdle has been achieved but the market performance hurdle has not yet been satisfied, the relevant Options remain on issue for a limited additional measurement period in accordance with the Employment Agreement. |
| Exercise Price & Target Price |
| Tranche |
Vesting |
Exercise Price |
Target Price |
| 1 |
Year 1 |
Closing price, first trading day following commencement of employment |
A$0.125 |
| 2 |
Year 2 |
A$0.125 |
A$0.250 |
| 3 |
Year 3 |
A$0.250 |
A$0.350 |
| 4 |
Year 4 |
A$0.250 |
A$0.600 |
|
| Expiry Date |
Vested Options are exercisable until the date that is five (5) years after the Grant Date, after which any unexercised Options will lapse, subject to the Employee Benefits Plan. |
| Approvals |
The grant of the Options and the issue of Shares upon exercise of the Options are subject to the Company obtaining all necessary shareholder, corporate, regulatory and ASX approvals required to implement the grant. |
| Notice Period |
Two months by either party. |
| Termination |
Three months’ Base Salary payable on Company termination without Cause, subject to execution of a customary release. |
| Post-Employment Restraints |
Six-month non-compete and twelve-month customer and employee non-solicitation obligations. |
^subject to receipt of Australian Directors ID
ENDS
