Cognosante appoints new growth chief

Cognosante has hired former Optum executive and nearly three-decade health care market veteran Jamil Hermes as chief growth officer.

Hermes will have responsibility over Cognosante’s business development and capture teams, plus support the company’s internal and external growth strategies.

Falls Church, Virginia-based Cognosante cited his experience across federal, state and local government markets in a release this past week. Cognosante also said Hermes joins the company as it looks to expand its technology solutions portfolio and market coverage.

Part of that strategy includes acquisitions, which Cognosante President James Gordon told us in September the company is looking at both small and large as the federal health market gains more stability.

Hermes was most recently senior vice president and chief growth officer for OptumServe, a business unit of the care services group focused on work with federal agencies such as the Defense Health Agency, Veterans Affairs Department and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Late last year, Optum captured three VA contracts with a $55.1 billion combined ceiling value to help stand up that agency’s future Community Care Network.

His career also includes roles such as industry general manager for federal health at the former Computer Sciences Corp, plus vice president for federal and state civilian markets at Teradata Corp.