‎Terra Industries appoints Former SpaceX Director Ben MacWilliams, Vice-President of Strategy

Terra Industries, a Nigerian defense technology firm building autonomous security solutions for essential infrastructure throughout the Global South, has named Ben MacWilliams as its Vice President of Strategy to support growth into additional markets.
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‎MacWilliams arrives from SpaceX, where he held the role of Director of Starlink Market Access and managed entry into all 54 African markets. In that position he introduced Starlink service in more than 20 nations and engaged directly with heads of state, regulators, and cabinet ministers. Earlier, he directed market-access initiatives across the Middle East and Central Eurasia, obtaining the first operating licenses for low-Earth-orbit broadband in both regions.
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‎In his new post at Terra Industries he will lead market-entry efforts, licensing approaches, and partnerships with governments as the company scales deployment of its sovereign autonomous systems across Global South countries.
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‎“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 Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO, Terra Industries
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‎MacWilliams noted that Terra has developed strong technical strengths and considerable promise. He added that his work expanding Starlink’s commercial footprint and infrastructure across Africa underscored the value of independent defense capabilities.
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‎“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.” 
‎— Ben MacWilliams, Vice President of Strategy, Terra Industries
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‎The appointment coincides with a phase of accelerated growth for Terra Industries. The firm recently completed a $52 million seed financing round, established its first overseas office in London, and unveiled plans for Pax-2, a manufacturing site in Ghana expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.
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‎MacWilliams’ arrival is anticipated to enhance Terra’s capacity to manage regulatory processes, cultivate official partnerships, and extend its autonomous security technologies into further Global South markets.