Merlin Inc. (NASDAQ: MRLN) announced the appointment of Mark Brunner as chief revenue officer, according to a company press release. Brunner will lead global revenue strategy and growth initiatives as the aerospace and defense technology company scales its Merlin Pilot system across defense and civil aviation programs.

Brunner brings more than 25 years of experience spanning military service, defense policy, and business development. He previously led public sector growth initiatives at PsiQuantum and served as president of public sector at Primer AI. Earlier in his career, he worked as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia for six years and served 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a pilot.

"Scaling revenue across defense and civil aviation requires strong technology but also trusted relationships, a deep understanding of complex procurement environments, and the ability to translate innovation into long-term programs of record," said Matt George, CEO and founder of Merlin.

Merlin describes itself as building an operating system for autonomous flight. The company's Merlin Pilot system has completed hundreds of autonomous flights from test facilities globally and has received contracts from military customers, according to the press release.

"Merlin is solving one of the most technically demanding and strategically important challenges in defense and aviation today," Brunner stated in the release.

The appointment comes as Merlin operates as a publicly traded company following what appears to be a recent transition to public markets, based on references to SEC filings and the company's status as a newly public entity.