Without a military background or a degree: The furniture designer who became the CEO of a Ukrainian weapons empire
Iryna Terekh, 34, a furniture designer by training, serves as CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Fire Point, a Ukrainian defense company employing 7,000 workers that produces drones and long-range missiles. Terekh entered the weapons world after experiencing the Russian invasion in Bucha, and began producing concrete fortifications before being recruited to Fire Point. The company manufactures over 60% of Ukraine's long-range missiles, and its FP-1 drone, with a range of nearly 4,000 km, assists in strikes inside Russia.
Iryna Terekh, 34, a furniture designer by training, serves as CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Fire Point, a Ukrainian defense company employing 7,000 workers that produces drones and long-range missiles. Terekh entered the weapons world after experiencing the Russian invasion in Bucha, where she was trapped with her mother under fire. Initially, she founded a nonprofit to aid soldiers, then produced concrete anti-tank barriers, and at the end of 2022 was recruited to Fire Point by entrepreneur Denys Shtylerman. She learned missile engineering from Soviet instructors and a missile scientist she hired as a consultant, and developed a production method that reduced drone wing manufacturing time from six days to two and a half hours. The FP-1 drone, with a range of nearly 4,000 km, is used for strikes on oil refineries in Russia. The company also developed a pink cruise missile, nicknamed "Flamingo." Terekh manufactures over 60% of Ukraine's long-range missiles. She works to bring more women into the company, including eliminating pay gaps and proposing daycare facilities, which was rejected for security reasons. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who joined the company's board, praised her adaptability.