Saildrone Names Former Vice Admiral as its New President

Maritime defense and oceanographic survey company Saildrone has appointed Vice Admiral John Mustin as its President, who will focus on growing the defense business.

In his role, Mustin will work alongside Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO.

Mustin joins Saildrone following a distinguished 34-year career in the U.S. Navy. He most recently served as the 15th Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force, where he led approximately 60,000 Reserve Component personnel supporting Navy, Marine Corps, and joint forces operations worldwide.

“John Mustin brings a truly unique blend of naval operational expertise and commercial experience to the company. As naval demand for Saildrone services grows exponentially, John will deliver the leadership firepower I need to grow both the team and the defense business, ensuring our products continue to meet the demands of high-end naval warfare,” said Richard Jenkins, founder and CEO at Saildrone.

Beyond his military service, Mustin brings significant commercial and entrepreneurial experience, having founded Wasabi Rabbit, a successful digital customer relationship management firm.

As founder and CEO, he grew the company into a leading digital agency specializing in customer acquisition strategies and technology solutions for Fortune 500 clients. His ability to navigate complex organizational challenges while driving innovation and growth positions him perfectly to lead Saildrone’s next phase of expansion.

“I’m thrilled to join the Saildrone team at this critical moment for global maritime security characterized by a rapidly evolving geo-political environment.

“Having spent my career focused on naval operations and technology innovation, I recognize Saildrone’s capabilities are transformational to delivering Naval strength to our warfighters at a time when our nation’s shipbuilding capacity is floundering. We, and our allies and partners, need high-capability platforms, delivered at scale, immediately. Saildrone defined the category and is the only operationally proven USV technology that is ready to scale today,” said Mustin.