DEFSEC Technologies develops and commercializes breakthrough next-generation tactical systems for military and security forces. The Company’s current portfolio of offerings includes digitization of tactical forces for real-time shared situational awareness and targeting information from any source (including drones) streamed directly to users’ smart devices and weapons. Other DEFSEC Technologies products include countermeasures against threats such as electronic detection, lasers and drones. These systems can operate stand-alone or integrate seamlessly with OEM products and battlefield management systems, and all come integrated with TAK. The Company also has a new proprietary non-lethal product line branded PARA OPS™ with applications across all segments of the non-lethal market, including law enforcement.  The Company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with representative offices in London, UK and Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

Sean Homuth
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director

Sean Homuth is a senior financial executive with more than 20 years of experience working with both Canadian and U.S. public companies across a broad range of industries. He has experience with a variety of financing (equity, debt, royalty) and M&A transactions. Since 2008, he has spent the majority of his time in various senior executive roles with emerging companies. Sean is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA Ontario) and a Certified Public Accountant (Illinois) and was named to Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 in 2011.

Jennifer Welsh
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

Jennifer has over 20 years of experience, including 18+ years with Canadian public companies. She was VP Finance at Indiva for SNDL Inc.– a NASDAQ listed company – and previously the founding CFO of Indiva Limited, helping it grow into Canada’s leading cannabis edibles producer. There, she led key financing transactions, brand licensing, and manufacturing operations. Before Indiva, she was Corporate Controller of a TSX-listed mining company. Jennifer is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA Ontario), holds a B.Comm. from Carleton University in Ottawa, and was named to Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 in 2020.

Harry Webster
Chief Operating Officer

Harry Webster is an experienced aerospace and defence leader. He most recently served as Director of Programs at DRS, overseeing all engineering development and manufacturing programs. With over 20 years of experience in roles spanning engineering development to executive leadership, Harry’s career has been built on leading organizations to achieve great business outcomes in the execution of complex engineering projects for platforms such as Canadarm3 at MDA and the Canadian CH-148 Maritime Helicopter Program at General Dynamics Mission Systems. Harry holds advanced degrees in Business Administration and Engineering, and licenses as a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional.

David E. Luxton
Chairman

David Luxton is a recognized entrepreneur in the defense and security industry. He was an infantry officer and senior official with the Canadian and British governments before establishing Simunition, which became the world leader in simulated munitions for close quarters combat training. He also led the build-out of Allen-Vanguard and remained Chairman until Oct 2021. He is former Chairman and CEO of United Tactical Systems, world leader in non-lethal munitions (pepperball.com).

James Yersh
Audit Committee Chair

James has 20+ years of senior executive experience in finance, administration, and go-to-market roles with SaaS and technology companies. He is currently Chief Revenue Officer, Senior Care, at PointClickCare – leading customer experience, operations, and sales. Previously, he was CFO at multiple technology companies including PointClickCare, Mitel, BlackBerry, and KORE Wireless – supporting major transitions like BlackBerry’s transition to software-based product suites as a public company. He also held senior finance roles at eSentire, Cognos, and Deloitte. James is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA Ontario).

General (Retired) Rick Hillier
Board Member and Former Canadian Chief of Defence Staff

As the former Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff, General Hillier held Canada’s highest-ranking position in the Canadian Forces from February 4, 2005, to July 1, 2008. Among his many military career highlights, he oversaw Canada’s mission in Afghanistan and was a strong and effective advocate for modernized equipment in support of the mission. General Hillier previously served as international advisor to the Company and on December 6, 2023, he joined the Board of Directors and chairs the Company’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Paul Mangano
Director

Prior to being invited to join our Board, Mr. Mangano founded and owned Surculus Advisors LLC since 2016, a boutique management consulting firm providing advice, leadership, specialized expertise and transaction consultation services to the industrial and high-tech sectors including aerospace, defense and security. Further, since August 2022, he is the CEO of Onpoint Systems, Inc. From August 2020 to April 2022, he was the General Manager of Steiner Optics Inc., a division of Beretta. Prior to forming Surculus Advisors LLC, from 2006 to 2015, he served as the President of L-3 Communication’s Public Safety & Sporting business unit. Mr. Mangano graduated with a BA in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA in High Technology from Northeastern University.

Paul Fortin
Director

Prior to being invited to join our Board, Paul Fortin was the director of international business development at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, a full-service law firm, from 2011 to 2019. Since March 2020, he has been the principal of the Fortin Consulting Group and is an independent advisor within the defense and security industry. Mr. Fortin graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and from Algonquin College with a specialization in Product Marketing Management.