19th August 2026
Terra Industries Appoints Ben MacWilliams as Vice President of Strategy
By Terra Industries
Terra Industries, the defense technology company building autonomous security systems to protect critical infrastructure across the Global South, today announced the appointment of Ben MacWilliams as Vice President of Strategy.
MacWilliams joins Terra from SpaceX, where he served as Director of Starlink Market Access, a remit covering all 54 African markets. He took the service live in more than 20 countries, working directly with presidents, regulators, and ministers. Before Africa, he led market access for the Middle East and Central Eurasia, where he won the first low Earth orbit broadband operating licenses in both regions.
At Terra, MacWilliams will lead market entry, licensing strategy, and government partnerships as the company brings its sovereign autonomous systems to new markets across the Global South.
“The next phase for us at Terra is getting our technology to governments that need it. That means licenses, regulators, and relationships across dozens of markets at once. Ben has done this at the highest level, and we’re proud to have him.”
“Nathan, Maxwell, and the Terra team have built a transformational company—with deep technical talent, a bold vision, and real traction. Having spent years scaling Starlink’s commercial presence and infrastructure across the African continent, I understand why sovereign defense capability matters. I’m excited to work with the Terra team and accelerate the mission to empower the Global South to safeguard its people, infrastructure, and natural resources.”
The appointment follows a period of rapid growth for Terra Industries. The company recently closed its $52 million seed round, opened its first international office in London, and announced Pax-2, its latest manufacturing facility, which opens in Ghana in Q4 2026.
About Terra Industries
Terra Industries is a multi-domain systems and data intelligence company building the defense prime for Africa and the Global South. The company serves critical sectors including energy, mineral resources, urban infrastructure, maritime assets, border security, and counterterrorism operations.
Founded in 2024, Terra develops integrated air, land, and maritime systems powered by ArtemisOS, its unified software platform for large-scale security operations. Terra’s mission is to give the Global South the technological edge needed to secure its future.
Terra Industries works with governments, infrastructure operators, and strategic partners across Africa and internationally. For more information, visit www.terraindustries.co. Follow Terra Industries on LinkedIn, X and YouTube.