DroneShield has appointed Michael Powell as chief operating officer, citing the move as part of its efforts to strengthen operational leadership as the company expands its global activities.
According to DroneShield, the decision follows a period of increased activity across Europe and the United States, alongside growing demand from defence, government and critical-infrastructure customers.
The company also pointed to a recent expansion of manufacturing capacity at its Alexandria, New South Wales facility, which it said is intended to increase production throughput, reduce delivery timelines and improve supply-chain resilience.
Powell brings more than 25 years of senior executive and operational leadership experience across defence, aerospace, secure communications, simulation, railway and critical-infrastructure markets.
DroneShield said his previous roles include chief operating officer, managing director and operations director positions at organisations such as Thales Australia and Knorr-Bremse, where he managed large multinational teams and complex operational portfolios.
In his new role, Powell will be responsible for scaling DroneShield’s global operations and aligning engineering, manufacturing and supply-chain functions to support the company’s product portfolio and international customer base.
DroneShield chief executive officer Oleg Vornik said the appointment was aimed at supporting disciplined growth.
“Michael is a proven operator with deep experience delivering complex programs at global scale,” Vornik said, adding that his leadership would support the company as demand for counter-UAS capability continues to grow.
DroneShield said Powell has lived and worked across Australia, Asia-Pacific, the United States, Europe and the Middle East, and holds qualifications including an MBA and a Bachelor of Engineering.
The content of this article is based on information supplied by DroneShield Limited. For more information, please refer to the official company announcement and communications from DroneShield. Please consult a licensed and/or registered professional in this area before making any decisions based on the content of this article.
