Neo Appoints Hua Du to its Board of Directors

October 25, 2023

TORONTO, Canada – Neo Performance Materials Inc. (“Neo” or the “Company“) (TSX: NEO) announced today that it has appointed Mr. Hua Du to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) as an independent director, effective immediately.

Mr Du has over 25 years of executive experience in a number of industries operating in Asian and global markets leading change in business models, overseeing plant construction, defining strategic plans and developing leadership teams. Mr. Du is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of a biotech-based animal nutrition business, with offices and operations across eight Asian countries. Previously, Mr. Du served for 11 years as President of Global Business Units and Executive Committee member at a leading global chemicals and materials company, including manufacturing and distribution of value added rare earth products. There, he led several global business units with revenues of EUR 5 billion, more than 10,000 employees, and technologies covering a wide range of end markets. Before that, he worked at a specialty chemicals manufacturer for 13 years, driving growth in Asia for its Electronic
Materials Group. Mr. Du graduated from Peking University in China and holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The appointment of Hua Du increases the number of directors of Neo to seven, six of whom are independent.

Claire Kennedy, Chair of the Neo Board of Directors, said “I am delighted to welcome Hua Du to the Board. Hua is an accomplished executive and brings a wealth of operational and leadership experience, including in materials and industrial chemicals, and will complement the skill set of our current directors. We look forward to his perspectives and contributions as Neo continues to execute on its strategic growth plans.”

About Neo Performance Materials

Neo manufactures the building blocks of many modern technologies that enhance efficiency and sustainability. Neo’s advanced industrial materials – magnetic powders and magnets, specialty chemicals, metals, and alloys – are critical to the performance of many everyday products and emerging technologies. Neo’s products help to deliver the technologies of tomorrow to consumers today. The business of Neo is organized along three segments: Magnequench, Chemicals & Oxides and Rare Metals. Neo is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States; Singapore; and Beijing, China. Neo has a global platform that includes 9 manufacturing facilities located in China, the United States, Germany, Canada, Estonia, and Thailand, as well as one dedicated research and development centre in Singapore. For more information, please visit www.neomaterials.com.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or the negative connotation thereof. Specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the continued expansion of Neo’s operations and strategic growth plans. In making the forward-looking information in this news release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on its current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For more information on Neo, investors should review Neo’s continuous disclosure filings that are available under Neo’s profile at www.sedar.com.

Information Contacts

Ali Mahdavi
SVP, Corporate Development & Capital Markets
416-962-3300
Email: a.mahdavi@neomaterials.com