Defence Holdings shares rose on Tuesday after the recently pivoted company announced a five-year strategic plan designed to capitalise on Europe’s expanding defence priorities.
Defence Holdings’ plan will target high-growth segments within the global defence market, which is currently valued at approximately $2.2 trillion.
The company was formerly Guild Esports and has shifted focus after Guild failed to secure financing to keep operations running and disposed of its gaming assets. Guild Esports was backed by David Beckham.
Defence Holdings’ strategic framework centres on drone warfare and aggregation, AI agents for defence operations, information and influence warfare, and critical infrastructure defence. These pillars reflect Europe’s renewed emphasis on sovereign defence capability whilst maintaining full NATO interoperability.
James Norwood, incoming Chairman of Defence Holdings PLC, highlighted the timeliness of their strategic shift. “Defence Holdings’ Five-Year Strategic Plan arrives at a defining moment for the UK and European defence landscape,” he said. Norwood has an extensive military background as a Royal Navy officer and subsequent experience advancing next-generation programmes at Raytheon Technologies.
Defence Holdings has set out its shop against a backdrop of significantly increased European defence spending following geopolitical tensions and security challenges.
Defence Holdings outlined a product-studio and buy-and-build model designed to capture opportunities within software-led defence segments across the UK and continental Europe. The company explained its five-year timeframe provides Defence Holdings with ample time to scale operations whilst maintaining agility in responding to emerging security requirements across European markets.
“Our new 5-year strategic plan sets a clear path for sustainable growth and value creation,” said Brian Stockbridge, Board Member of Defence Holdings.
“By focusing on disciplined investment, innovative product development and proactive management, we are confident in our ability to deliver long-term returns for our stakeholders and position the company at the forefront of our sector. I am particularly proud of the exceptional calibre of board members we have assembled – leaders with deep expertise across defence, technology, and capital markets.”