Iris Energy Announces Appointment of Sunita Parasuraman to Board of Directors

SYDNEY, Australia, July 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NASDAQ: ) (“Iris Energy” or “the Company”), a leading owner and operator of institutional-grade, highly efficient Bitcoin mining data centers powered by 100% renewable energy, today announced the appointment of Sunita Parasuraman to its Board of Directors. Ms. Parasuraman will also serve as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

During her career as a senior technology executive, Ms. Parasuraman has built and scaled world-class teams at Meta (Facebook), VMware, Genentech, and Apple.

Ms. Parasuraman most recently served as the Head of Investments, New Product Experimentation at Meta (Facebook) and, prior to that, served as Facebook’s Global Head of Treasury and Head of Treasury for Facebook’s blockchain initiative (Libra).

Ms. Parasuraman currently serves on the Board of Baldwin Risk Partners (NASDAQ: BRP), a leading publicly-traded insurance distribution company, where she is a member of its Audit and Cyber Risk Committees. She also serves on the Board of the IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation as well as its Finance, Governance & Nomination Committees.

Ms. Parasuraman holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, a master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

David Bartholomew, Independent Chair of Iris Energy, commented:

“We are excited that Ms. Parasuraman has agreed to join the Board of Iris Energy. Her deep experience across software engineering, technology, innovation, investing and risk management brings a unique skillset to the Company.”

Daniel Roberts, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, commented:

“Ms. Parasuraman's appointment comes at a time where we are accelerating technical and strategic innovations across both our Bitcoin mining and HPC data center businesses. Her expertise is expected to be highly valuable across both of these endeavours.”

About Iris Energy

Iris Energy is a sustainable Bitcoin mining company that supports the decarbonization of energy markets and the global Bitcoin network.

• 100% renewables: Iris Energy targets markets with low-cost, under-utilized renewable energy, and where the Company can support local communities
• Long-term security over infrastructure, land and power supply: Iris Energy builds, owns and operates its electrical infrastructure and proprietary data centers, providing long-term security and operational control over its assets
• Seasoned management team: Iris Energy’s team has an impressive track record of success across energy, infrastructure, renewables, finance, digital assets and data centers with cumulative experience in delivering >$25bn in energy and infrastructure projects globally
  
  
  
  

Forward-Looking Statements

This market update includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Iris Energy’s future financial or operating performance. For example, forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company’s business strategy, expected operational and financial results, and expected increase in power capacity and hashrate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “may,” “can,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “project,” “strive,” “budget,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “target”, “will,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “scheduled” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking.

These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Iris Energy’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: Iris Energy’s limited operating history with operating losses; electricity outage, limitation of electricity supply or increase in electricity costs, as well as limitations on the availability of electrical supply for Bitcoin mining due to restrictions imposed by governmental authorities or otherwise; long term outage or limitation of the internet connection at Iris Energy’s sites; any critical failure of key electrical or data center equipment; serial defects or underperformance with respect to Iris Energy’s equipment; failure of suppliers to perform under the relevant supply contracts for equipment that has already been procured which may delay Iris Energy’s expansion plans; supply chain and logistics issues for Iris Energy or Iris Energy’s suppliers; cancellation or withdrawal of required operating and other permits and licenses; customary risks in developing greenfield infrastructure projects; Iris Energy’s evolving business model and strategy; Iris Energy’s ability to successfully manage its growth; Iris Energy’s ability to raise additional financing (whether because of the conditions of the markets, Iris Energy’s financial condition or otherwise) on a timely basis, or at all, which could adversely impact the Company’s ability to meet its capital commitments (including payments due under any hardware purchase contracts or debt financing obligations) and the Company’s growth plans; the failure of Iris Energy’s certain wholly-owned special purpose vehicles to make required payments of principal and/or interest under their limited recourse equipment financing arrangements when due or otherwise comply with the terms thereof, as a result of which the lender thereunder has declared the entire principal amount of each loan to be immediately due and payable, and is taking steps to enforce the indebtedness and its rights in the Bitcoin miners with respect to certain of such loans and other assets securing such loans, including appointing a receiver with respect to such special purpose vehicles, which is expected to result in the loss of the relevant Bitcoin miners securing such loans and has materially reduced the Company’s operating capacity, and has resulted in proceedings to assign the relevant special purpose vehicles into bankruptcy as well as other claims against the Company, and could materially and adversely impact the Company’s business, operating expansion plans, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; the terms of any additional financing or any refinancing, restructuring or modification to the terms of any existing financing, which could be less favorable or require Iris Energy to comply with more onerous covenants or restrictions, any of which could restrict its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; competition; Bitcoin prices, global hashrate and the market value of Bitcoin miners, any of which could adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations, as well as its ability to raise additional financing and the ability of its wholly owned special purpose vehicles to make required payments of principal and/or interest on any equipment financing facilities; risks related to health pandemics including those of COVID-19; changes in regulation of digital assets; and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Iris Energy’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on September 13, 2022, and the Company’s report on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on February 15, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC’s website at and the Investor Relations section of Iris Energy’s website at .

These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this investor update. Any forward-looking statement that Iris Energy makes in this investor update speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, Iris Energy disclaims any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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