Merlin Solar Strengthens Leadership with New CEO and CFO Appointments

On April 14, 2025, Merlin Solar made significant strides to enhance its leadership team by appointing Kendall Combs as Chief Executive Officer and Ian VanReepinghen as Chief Financial Officer. These appointments come at an exciting time for the company, which has recently experienced remarkable growth, almost doubling its revenue over the past two years and achieving a staggering 75% year-over-year growth within the transportation sector.

Merlin Solar, known for transforming solar renewable energy solutions for mobile environments and rooftops, has seen the successful launch of its Microgrid Solutions Offering in 2024, expanding the company’s offerings beyond solar panels to deliver complete power systems. With a promising pipeline to double the company's size in the near future, the demand for its innovative products is stronger than ever.

Kendall Combs expresses immense pride in being part of this journey, stating, "I have had the unique privilege of experiencing Merlin Solar's success from multiple perspectives: as a customer, an investor, a board member, and now as CEO. The company’s innovative products are not only elegant but also unmatched in performance. The dynamic and passionate team at Merlin further solidifies my excitement to lead the company into its next transformative growth phase.”

Combs joins Merlin Solar after a successful 13-year tenure at Saint-Gobain, where he worked in various roles including Vice President of Strategic Business Development. His wealth of experience involves managing businesses with annual revenues ranging from $10M to $600M and leading strategic initiatives valued at over $5B. Combs holds an MBA from the Wharton School and advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Texas.

Taking the helm as CFO, Ian VanReepinghen brings along nearly 25 years of finance and strategic planning expertise, having worked with Fortune 500 companies as well as innovative startups. Most recently, he served as Director of Finance for Lundberg Family Farms, a leader in regenerative organic agriculture. He also worked as the Head of Finance for Thrilling, a vintage and secondhand apparel marketplace, demonstrating a diverse set of experiences in capital-intensive industries.

VanReepinghen expresses his enthusiasm for being a part of Merlin Solar, noting, "From the moment I spoke with founder Murali, I was inspired by the company's mission, product quality, and the genuine enthusiasm that surrounded it. Complemented by our credible backers such as Fifth Wall and Saint-Gobain, I instantaneously believed in the company’s vision. Our product not only showcases innovation but also drives significant energy and resource reductions, seamlessly integrating with customer operations.”

In his role as CFO, VanReepinghen is dedicated to positioning Merlin Solar for sustained, profitable, and scalable growth. He emphasizes the importance of informed financial decision-making that minimizes risk while maximizing rewards, aiming to streamline reporting processes and remove any barriers that can hinder growth.

As the leadership team embarks on this journey together, they are poised to enhance the company's overall strategy, ensuring operational excellence, and driving growth across all sectors. With such a robust leadership in place, Merlin Solar aims to revolutionize the solar energy landscape even further and continue leading the way in sustainability and innovation.

In a period that denotes not just growth in figures but a growth in impact, the appointments of Combs and VanReepinghen signal a promising future for Merlin Solar, paving the path towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient world.