VIKAND Hires Holmes as Director of Business Development

Maritime medical operations and public health provider VIKAND Solutions, LLC said it has appointed Russ Holmes as director of business development.

Perhaps best known for providing end-to-end medical solutions to the cruise industry for its guests and crew, the company said bringing Holmes onboard positions it to further extend its medical best practices and results to the global maritime industry, including commercial shipping, private islands, the gas and oil energy sector, and the yachting market.

“To this newly created role at VIKAND, Russ brings his wealth of medical expertise and maritime experience—and his indomitable spirit—to ensure our current and future clients receive the highest level of service. He has extensive knowledge of the global maritime industries, enabling us further engagement and capacity in providing our medical solutions in the return to safe sailing,” said Peter Hult, VIKAND CEO.

Holmes spent the past two+ decades working with Mercy Ships, which owns and operates the two largest charitable hospital ships in the world. Having previously spent eight years at sea onboard a Mercy Ship, he knows what it takes to provide the highest level of healthcare to mariners and guests.

For the last 15 years, Holmes has built globally based teams that have developed strategic partnerships with many of the largest brands throughout the maritime, healthcare and technology sectors, including MSC, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Dell Technologies, CLIA, Seatrade, Wartsila, Becton Dickinson, and hundreds of others.

“Russ brings VIKAND a deep understanding and knowledge of the healthcare needs of the maritime industry, the biomedical needs of our clients, extensive project and relationship management as well as what it takes to provide leadership to grow high functioning, unified teams around the globe. His experience in all of these areas will be a great asset to our clients as well as VIKAND,” Hult said.

Most recently, Holmes was the Director of Corporate Development for Mercy Ships, managing globally- based teams that engaged many industries throughout the corporate sector to raise support for the mission of the organization. He has also held other senior roles throughout the organization: International Supply Chain, Logistics and Procurement, and Operation Director onboard one of its hospital ships..  

Holmes said, “Having spent many years at sea myself, I understand and appreciate the healthcare needs of mariners and guests alike and the team at VIKAND has developed outstanding “end-to-end” medical solutions to meet these needs. I look forward to working with existing and new clients to understand their medical needs in the areas of COVID testing, biomedical equipment needs, service and maintenance as well as medical staffing needs, and to work together to find the most suitable, tailored solutions.”