Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL), a global leader in electric aviation, announced the appointment of three seasoned executives—James Keith (JK) Brown, Kris Haber, and Carsten Stendevad—to its board of directors. This strategic move aims to enhance the company’s financial and commercial strategy as it targets cash break-even by 2030. The appointments come as Vertical accelerates its certification and commercialisation efforts for its VX4 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, designed to offer zero-emission travel. The Chairman of the board of Vertical Aerospace, Domhnal Slattery, shared his views on the appointments and said, “I am delighted to welcome JK, Kris, and Carsten to Vertical’s Board. Combined, they bring decades of deep capital markets expertise, business development experience and proven track records scaling growth-stage companies.”
The board expansion to seven directors follows the departure of Gur Kimchi on April 30, 2025, and the upcoming exit of Kathy Cassidy on May 14, 2025. They did not leave on a sour note as Slaterry noted, “I’d also like to thank Gur and Kathy for their service and contributions to Vertical since our 2021 listing. Their leadership, insights, and expertise have played an essential role in helping us build a strong platform for growth and innovation.” Brown, Haber, and Stendevad bring extensive experience in capital markets and business scaling, with Stendevad currently serving as co-chief investment officer for sustainable investing at Bridgewater Associates.
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Vertical, which collaborates with industry leaders like GKN Aerospace and Honeywell, is advancing its Flightpath 2030 strategy, focusing on certification and piloted flight testing. The company recently adopted a universal fast-charging standard for its VX4 aircraft, aligning with competitors like BETA Technologies.
