Natilus promotes Nolan Giblin to COO

Natilus has promoted San Diego-based aerospace executive Nolan Giblin to Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee cross-functional execution across the company’s aircraft programmes.

In his new role, Giblin will lead programme execution across engineering, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, market capture and strategic finance. He will also be responsible for aligning technical milestones and capital allocation as Natilus moves from the design phase towards commercialisation.

Since joining Natilus in 2022 as Head of Business Development, Giblin has played a key role in developing the commercial strategy for the company’s blended-wing-body aircraft programmes, KONA and HORIZON EVO. During his tenure, Natilus secured reservation agreements with operators including Ameriflight and Nolinor Aviation, contributing to an orderbook of more than 570 aircraft pre-orders.

The promotion comes as demand grows for more fuel-efficient and lower-emission aircraft that can operate within existing airport infrastructure. Natilus says its blended-wing-body design offers reduced fuel consumption and operating costs, while providing greater cargo volume than conventional tube-and-wing aircraft. These characteristics have generated interest among both cargo and passenger operators as the aviation industry seeks additional capacity to meet growing demand.

Nolan Giblin, COO of Natilus, said, "As we build an entirely new category of aircraft that promises to reshape the future of flight for commercial, cargo, and defense markets, there isn't a more exciting opportunity in the aviation industry. I'm invigorated by the role I play in bringing KONA and HORIZON EVO to commercialisation and inspired by the opportunities ahead.”

Giblin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego and an MBA from San Diego State University. He brings nearly two decades of experience in aerospace business development and operations.

Before joining Natilus, he held business management and strategic finance roles across major defence aviation programmes at companies including Northrop Grumman and General Atomics. His experience spans operational management and financial planning, which he will now apply to scaling Natilus’ commercial and defence aircraft programmes.

Aleksey Matyushev, CEO of Natilus, said, “Since Nolan joined in 2022, the company has undergone dramatic growth, due in large part to Nolan's strategic vision and organisational prowess. As we enter this next chapter, I couldn't have a better partner to drive our business operations forward, ensure our priorities stay aligned, and scale both the organization and our family of aircraft. Nolan is exactly the type of visionary needed to transform our vision of a blended-wing-body aircraft into a commercial reality."

Natilus is a US-based aerospace company developing a family of blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft designed to transport passengers and cargo with greater efficiency and lower emissions. Founded in 2016, the company has secured more than 570 aircraft pre-orders valued at $24 billion. Its team includes aerospace professionals with experience at Boeing, General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, Skunk Works, SpaceX, and Piper Aircraft.