Divergent announced the appointment of Ben Nicholson as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Nicholson will lead Divergent’s commercial organization, including business development, customer engagement, market expansion, partnerships, and government relations.
Nicholson joins Divergent with more than 30 years of experience across aerospace, defense, industry, and public service. He most recently served as Chief Business Officer at Ursa Major, where he helped lead the company through a period of growth.
His career also includes leadership roles at L3 Technologies, Honeywell, and CAE. Nicholson also spent more than a decade on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, where he served as a professional staff member and subcommittee staff director.
Earlier in his career, Nicholson served nearly 10 years on active duty as a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard.
Divergent said Nicholson is joining the company as it scales its manufacturing platform and deepens engagement across critical defense and commercial programs.
Divergent is the creator of DAPS, the Divergent Adaptive Production System, an end-to-end digital manufacturing platform designed to enable rapid design, additive manufacturing, and automated assembly.
The company is focused on reshaping production in defense, aerospace, and automotive through advanced manufacturing. Founded in 2014, Divergent is headquartered in Torrance, California.
Nicholson is also a board member and guest lecturer for the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. He holds master’s degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and Resource Policy from the University of Michigan, along with a bachelor’s degree with high honors in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy.
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“Ben is a highly respected leader with deep expertise across defense, aerospace, government, and new technology. He joins Divergent at the perfect time as we scale our manufacturing platform and deepen our engagement across critical defense and commercial programs.”
Lukas Czinger, CEO and Co-Founder of Divergent
“I am truly honored to join the Divergent team. The company’s manufacturing innovations combined with its unwavering commitment to advancing the capacity and security of the defense industrial base present a nearly unlimited value proposition to the economic security of the United States and our allies. Our national security starts on the factory floor with the American worker and I am proud to help lead Divergent’s contribution to such a worthy endeavor.”
Ben Nicholson, Chief Commercial Officer of Divergent
