Oslo, 20 June 2025
Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement made by Aquila Holdings ASA ("Aquila" or the "Company") on 27 May 2025 regarding the Company's acquisition of between 99% and 100% of the shares in Fjord Defence AS ("Fjord Defence") from AS Saturn, Cubic Invest AS, GKI AS, Hugin Management AS, Trigger AS and certain minority sellers (together, the "Sellers") (the "Acquisition"). Reference is further made to the resolutions by the Company's extraordinary general meeting held earlier today (the "EGM") in connection with inter alia completion of the Acquisition.
Aquila is pleased to announce that the Acquisition has today been successfully completed, comprising 100% of the shares in Fjord Defence, including by the EGM resolving to issue 175,187,968 new shares in the Company to the Sellers, at a subscription price of NOK 0.80 per share (the "Consideration Shares"), as part settlement of the consideration payable by Aquila in the Acquisition. The Consideration Shares will be subject to lock-up, with 1/3 of the Consideration Shares being released after 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively, from the date of completion of the Acquisition.
Aquila is further pleased to announce that the Company's board of directors has appointed Jon Asbjørn Bø as new CEO of the Company, to be renamed "Fjord Defence Group ASA" in accordance with the EGM's resolution, effective as of 1 July 2025. Mr. Bø is the founder and chairman of Fjord Defence and has had an extensive career in the defence supplier industry spanning more than 25 years with executive roles in private and stock-exchange listed defence suppliers. Furthermore, following the announcement on 27 May 2025, Øyvind Mølmann has taken on the position as new CFO of the Company. Mr. Mølmann has extensive experience as CFO and other executive finance roles in stock exchange listed and private companies.
The board of directors thanks Kristian Zahl for his contributions as interim CEO of the Company since November 2024. Mr. Zahl will continue as new COO of the Company.
Following registration of the share capital increase pertaining to the issuance of the Consideration Shares, as well as the share capital decrease and share capital increase relating to the Private Placement (as defined in the announcement of 27 May 2025), Aquila's share capital will be NOK 339,415,254.50, divided into 484,878,935 shares, each with a par value of NOK 0.70.
The Consideration Shares will be issued on a separate temporary ISIN (NO 001 3597351) pending approval by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (Nw.: Finanstilsynet) and publication of a prospectus in accordance with the EU Prospectus Regulation (2017/1129) on prospectuses for securities and ancillary regulations, as amended, and as implemented in Norway in accordance with section 7-1 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act of 29 June 2007 no. 75. Following publication of the prospectus, expected to take place by end of Q3 2025, the Consideration Shares will be transferred to Aquila's ordinary listed ISIN (NO 001 0778095) and admitted to trading on Euronext Expand.
For further details about the Acquisition and the strategic repositioning of the Company as a defence compounder, please refer to the Company's stock exchange announcement of 27 May 2025.
For more information please contact:
Jon Asbjørn Bø, CEO
jon.asbjorn.bo@fjorddefence.com
+47 930 86 932
About Aquila Holdings
Aquila Holdings ASA ("AQUIL") (to be renamed Fjord Defence Group ASA with new ticker "DFENS") is a Norwegian "compounder" listed on Euronext Expand seeking to acquire and develop fast-growing, profitable, and well-run companies in the defence industry. The company has a buy & build strategy, with focus on acquiring established, profitable businesses within the defence, security and related segments. More information on www.fjorddefencegroup.com.
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and Euronext Oslo Rule Book II.