INTERNATIONAL BATTERY METALS LTD. (IBATF): CEO James Garrett Galloway reason not stated

Events in this filing

Item 5.02 as filed

Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Appointment of Interim Chief Executive Officer
On October 26, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of International Battery Metals Ltd. (the “Company”) appointed Donald E. Bender, the Company's Vice President of Technology & Engineering, as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective October 26, 2026. Mr. Bender will continue to serve as Vice President of Technology & Engineering. James Garrett Galloway, who has served as Interim Chief Executive Officer since July 27, 2026, ceased to serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer effective October 26, 2026, and will continue to serve as the Company's Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. In connection with this transition, the additional cash compensation that Mr. Galloway received for his service as Interim Chief Executive Officer, at an annualized rate of $100,000, ceased effective October 26, 2026.
Mr. Bender, age 50, has served as the Company's Vice President of Technology & Engineering since November 2025, and previously served as the Company's Director of Technology & Engineering from November 2024 until November 2025. He has over 20 years of experience in chemical process engineering and capital project execution, including the development of direct lithium extraction technology. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Bender was an independent contract consultant from January 2024 until November 2024, served as Senior Vice President of Engineering at Candle Lithium from May 2023 until January 2024, and as Research, Development & Engineering Manager at Prairie Lithium from October 2021 until May 2023, where he led development of that company's proprietary direct lithium extraction technology. Earlier in his career, he held process engineering leadership roles on major energy projects for ExxonMobil/Imperial Oil, PetroChina Canada and Suncor Energy/Petro-Canada. Mr. Bender holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a registered professional engineer in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
In connection with his appointment as Interim Chief Executive Officer, the Board approved cash compensation for Mr. Bender at an annualized rate of $100,000, payable in equal monthly installments of approximately $8,333 for each month he serves in that capacity, effective October 26, 2026, in addition to his current annual salary which includes cash of $265,000 per year, and a bonus at the discretion of the board. for Mr. Bender. This compensation is in addition to the compensation Mr. Bender receives in his role as Vice President of Technology & Engineering.
There are no family relationships between Mr. Bender and any director or executive officer of the Company. There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Bender and any other person pursuant to which he was appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer. There are no transactions between the Company and Mr. Bender that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.