Merlin Labs Appoints Ryan Carrithers as Chief Financial Officer

Merlin Labs, a developer of assured autonomous flight technologies, has named Ryan Carrithers as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Carrithers will oversee the company’s financial operations, strategy, investor relations, merger and acquisition activities, strategic partnerships, and capital markets engagement as Merlin advances its readiness for the public markets.

Merlin Labs is focused on autonomous flight software for both defence and civil aerospace applications. The appointment of an experienced CFO comes at a critical time as the company prepares for a business combination to enable a public listing. This strategic move supports the company’s growth trajectory in the aerospace sector, particularly in autonomous and AI-enabled flight systems.

Ryan Carrithers brings over 20 years of experience in aerospace, industrial automation, and high-growth technology sectors. He has held roles at companies including Astra Space and KUKA AG, and most recently served as Vice President of Strategic Finance and Treasury at Ginkgo Bioworks. His combination of technical domain expertise and capital markets experience positions him to guide Merlin Labs through scaling operations and public market readiness.

The CFO appointment signals Merlin Labs’ commitment to strengthening its operational and financial infrastructure in support of aerospace partnerships and defence contracts. Merlin’s autonomy software is reportedly being applied to platforms such as the KC-135 and C-130J, and the company collaborates with major aerospace primes and the U.S. Department of Defense. Strengthening financial leadership helps facilitate investor transparency, strategic scaling, and readiness for engagement with public market stakeholders.

As Merlin moves toward a public listing, the addition of an experienced financial executive enhances confidence in the company’s governance, strategic planning, and ability to manage growth. For aerospace OEMs, integrators, and technology partners, this development indicates increasing maturity in the autonomous flight software supply chain and the company’s readiness to expand its engagements in the defence and civil aerospace markets.

Merlin Labs develops autonomy software that enables aircraft to perform take-off-to-touchdown operations across a wide range of platforms, with a focus on mission-critical and defence applications. The company reports substantial contracted programs and partnerships with major aerospace organizations.