Kestrel Gold Inc. has appointed Duncan McBean to its board of directors. Mr. McBean brings 35 years of hands-on experience in mineral exploration, project development, and mine production phases. His career spans orogenic gold discoveries, diamondiferous kimberlite programs and lithium exploration initiatives. Investors can expect McBean’s technical leadership to accelerate project evaluation and de-risk ongoing field campaigns across Kestrel’s Canadian Cordillera properties.

Concurrently with his appointment, Mr. McBean received options to acquire 1,000,000 common shares at an exercise price of 0.065 per share. These options vest immediately and expire on September 15, 2030. The grant is structured to align McBean’s long-term interests with those of existing shareholders, motivating him to drive resource delineation and project advancement that enhance net asset value over the next five years.

Kestrel holds a 100% interest, subject to modest streaming royalties, in two orogenic gold targets: the QCM property in British Columbia’s Manson-Germanson placer district (2% NSR royalty with buydown) and the KSD property in the Yukon’s Tintina Gold Belt (2.5% NSR royalty with buydown). Recent prospecting and geochemical surveys have identified multiple soil anomalies exceeding 100 ppb gold on both properties, providing clear targets for the upcoming drill campaigns slated for H1 2026.

Looking ahead, Kestrel plans to initiate a 3,000-metre diamond drill program at QCM in late Q1 2026, followed by a 2,500-metre expansion at KSD in Q2. Management’s focus on cost-efficient exploration and strong technical governance—now bolstered by Mr. McBean’s expertise—positions the company to deliver resource intercepts that could lead to maiden resource estimates by year-end. Investors should monitor assay results and any adjustments to capital allocation as key value drivers.