Merlin names board including former Navy secretary and Blue Origin CEO

Merlin, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRLN) announced the composition of its seven-member board of directors following its public listing in March 2026. The aerospace and defense technology company's board includes founder and CEO Matt George as chairman and six independent directors.

The board members include Kenneth Braithwaite, who served as the 77th Secretary of the Navy from May 2020 to January 2021 and as U.S. Ambassador to Norway from 2018 to 2020. Dr. Robert Smith, former CEO of Blue Origin from September 2017 to January 2024, also joins the board.

Kelyn Brannon, Amazon's first chief accounting officer who helped establish the financial foundation for the technology company, was named to the board. Michael Blitzer serves as lead independent director and is chairman and CEO of Inflection Point Fund I L.P.

Additional board members include Michael Montelongo, former chief financial officer and assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management from 2001 to 2005, and Carolyn Trabuco, co-founder of Brazilian airline Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras SA (NYSE: AZUL).

Merlin develops autonomous flight technology and reports more than $100 million in total contract value, including contracts with military customers. The company completed its business combination with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. IV and began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on March 17, 2026.

The Boston-based company is pursuing dual-track civil certification programs with the Federal Aviation Administration and New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority for its autonomous flight systems.

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