Richard Fish Appointed as Non-Executive Director

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.  Upon the publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.      

Hydrogen Utopia International PLC 

 (the "Company" or "HUI") 

Appointment of Richard Fish as Non-Executive Director

Hydrogen Utopia International PLC (HUI), a company specialising in turning non-recyclable mixed waste plastic into hydrogen and other carbon-free fuels, new materials, or distributed renewable heat, is delighted to announce that it has appointed Richard Fish as a Non- Executive Director of HUI with immediate effect.

Richard brings over four decades of executive experience spanning private equity, energy, and automotive and industrial sectors. He has consistently led corporate transformations, implemented forward-thinking strategies, optimised internal operations, and scaled businesses from startups to global enterprises, leading to successful exits. Richard has led projects across six continents, with a particular focus on China, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Australia. His global experience and regional expertise make him uniquely positioned to support our international growth and strategic objectives.

For the past 15 years, Richard has focused on renewable energy, becoming a respected authority in plasma gasification. His deep understanding of the high-temperature gasification technology market, including its commercialisation challenges, regulatory frameworks, and international growth potential, makes him an exceptional strategic partner for HUI's mission.

As a member of the Board, Richard will help shape HUI's long-term vision, offer expert guidance on market strategy, and support the acceleration of Waste-2-Energy innovations that address global environmental and energy challenges. 

Now that the Company has evolved and transformed, the Board needs experts of Richard's calibre more than ever, particularly as HUI accelerates its efforts in the GCC region and advances the deployment of InEnTec's transformative technology. The Board believes that Richard's leadership and expertise are not just valuable, they are essential to driving growth and impact.

Additional Information

Community Eco Power, LLC was liquidated during Richard Fish's tenure as a director. The company was dissolved on 29 December 2023 and loss to creditors was c. USD 3.1m. The company had been acquired through a distressed asset sale, comprising waste-to-energy facilities with 40+ year old infrastructure. The facilities required significant investment. The business was in a turnaround situation, and the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated its operational and financial difficulties. Despite efforts to stabilise the business, Community Eco Power was ultimately financially unable to recover and was liquidated.

In connection with the appointment, Richard will be granted 3,855,200 Ordinary Shares in HUI, representing 0.955% of the Company's share capital.

Total Voting Rights

Application will be made for the 3,855,200 Ordinary Shares, which will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares of the Company, to be admitted to the Standard List segment of Official List and to trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange plc, which is expected to occur on or around 8.00 a.m. on 6 August 2025 ("Admission"). Upon Admission, the total number of issued shares and the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 403,660,914.

The above figure of 403,660,914 should be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

There are no further disclosures to be made for the purposes of paragraph 6.4.8R of the Financial Conduct Authority's Listing Rules.

Aleksandra Binkowska, CEO of HUI, commented: "Richard's appointment to the Board marks a significant and strategic step forward for our company. With decades of experience in plasma and waste treatment technologies, he brings exceptional expertise in commercialising cutting-edge solutions and scaling clean energy ventures. His unwavering determination, outstanding work ethic, and results-focused leadership align seamlessly with our mission and values. Richard embodies the resilient, forward-thinking spirit of American innovation, and we are honoured to welcome that perspective to the London Stock Exchange. Having worked closely with him for some time, I can say with confidence that he brings jet-fuel energy to the Board-driving momentum, inspiring action, and pushing boundaries at every turn."

Richard Fish, commented: "I am thrilled to be joining the board of HUI at this point in its growth cycle. I believe my global experience in gasification, project development and in scaling companies will be of value in helping the company execute on its initial plastic waste to hydrogen projects in the Middle East.  I look forward in working with this experienced team and in helping the company be a leader in monetizing non-recyclable plastic waste into sustainable energy."

The Directors of the Company take responsibility for this statement.

For more information about the Company, please refer to our website: www.hydrogenutopia.eu

For further information please contact:

Hydrogen Utopia International PLC

Aleksandra Binkowska

+44 20 3811 8770 

Alfred Henry Corporate Finance Limited (AQSE Corporate Adviser)

Nick Michaels/Maya Klein Wassink                                      

+44 (0) 20 8064 4056               

Novum Securities Limited (Broker)                                                                    

Jon Belliss/Colin Rowbury                              

+44 20 7399 9400

Capital Plus Limited (Broker)

Dominic Berger

+44 7799 888644

About Hydrogen Utopia International PLC

HUI aims to become one of the leading new European companies specialising in turning non-recyclable mixed waste plastic into carbon-free fuels, new materials or distributed renewable heat.

A HUI facility uses non-recyclable mixed waste plastic as feedstock and turns it into syngas from which new products and energy can be produced. HUI anticipates that its revenues will be derived from a variety of sources, dependent upon location and configuration of the HUI facilities, including the sale of syngas, hydrogen and other gases, electricity and heat sales, and the payment to it of fees for a given quantity of non-recyclable mixed waste plastic received at a HUI facility.

HUI will target areas where there is significant private sector interest or potential, financial backing is accessible and or where substantial EU and/or government funded sources of grants and loans are or may be available. The global increase in fossil fuel-based energy prices reinforces the need for alternative, price competitive energy sources, which HUI's business model can provide.

HUI's initial strategic focus is to work closely with Powerhouse Energy Group plc to create a project pipeline of HUI facilities.

The pressing need to deal with growing amounts of waste plastic combined with a real momentum in the use of hydrogen from renewable sources may pave the way for a rapid deployment of and investment in HUI facilities.