Mach Industries Appoints Zach Kirkman as Chief Financial Officer

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mach Industries, a defense manufacturer developing advanced autonomous systems for the U.S. military and its allies, today announced the appointment of Zach Kirkman as Chief Financial Officer.

Kirkman brings nearly two decades of experience in financial leadership, capital allocation, corporate strategy, and mergers and acquisitions across the technology and automotive sectors. As CFO, he will lead Mach Industries financial strategy, capital markets activities, and finance organization as the company scales production, expands its capital base, and advances its portfolio of unmanned systems and critical defense components.

"Zach brings a rare combination of financial leadership and experience navigating the complexities of high-growth, integrated hardware/software businesses," said Ethan Thornton, Founder and CEO of Mach Industries. "His expertise in capital allocation and corporate strategy will be invaluable as we strengthen our financial foundation, make disciplined investments, and position Mach for its next phases of growth."

Most recently, Kirkman served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer at General Motors, reporting directly to the CFO and overseeing Treasury, Corporate Development, GM Ventures, and Long-Term Financial Planning and Analysis. Previously, he helped establish and lead the Corporate Development function at Tesla. He began his career at Apple, where he held several finance roles, including in Corporate Development.

"Mach Industries is tackling one of the most important challenges facing our national security: building the industrial capacity to deliver advanced defense capabilities at scale," said Zach Kirkman, Chief Financial Officer of Mach Industries. "I'm excited to join the team at such a pivotal stage of growth and to help build the financial engine needed to accelerate production, expand our capabilities, and support the company's long-term vision."

Kirkman also served on the Board of Directors of Lithium Americas Corp., a publicly traded lithium extraction and processing developer. He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

About Mach Industries

Mach Industries is a defense manufacturing company headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, that develops advanced unmanned systems and the industrial capacity required to produce them at scale. Through a deeply vertically integrated, hardware-first approach, the company rapidly designs, builds, tests, and fields defense systems while advancing manufacturing, testing, and supply chain capabilities that support both its own programs and the broader defense industrial base. Through Mach Propulsion and Mach Energetics, the company develops and produces jet engines, solid rocket motors and energetic systems and serves external customers as a component and subsystem provider for booster, sustainer, and unmanned aerial platforms. Mach Industries delivers the speed, adaptability, and resilience needed to preserve the allied edge in an increasingly contested world.

For more information, visit machindustries.com and follow Mach Industries on LinkedIn and X.

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SOURCE Mach Industries