Press Release: Orbis International Announces New CEO & President

September 8, 2020, NEW YORK — Orbis International announces the appointment of Derek Hodkey as the organization’s new CEO and President, with immediate effect, following the retirement of Bob Ranck, who led Orbis for over four years.

Sharing Orbis’s core belief that no one should live a life without sight simply because of where they were born, Derek will use his deep and varied leadership experience gained in both the private sector and in international NGOs to lead Orbis and further advance access to eye care around the world. He joins Orbis from Counterpart International, an INGO that partners with leaders, organizations and social sector networks to build inclusive, sustainable communities in which people thrive. As Counterpart’s Chief Operating Officer for the past six years, Derek has been responsible for providing strategic and tactical leadership across all business units to drive the organization forward and to ensure quality, timely and accountable operational execution both in headquarters and country offices.

Prior to his time at Counterpart, Derek spent eight years at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the last three of which were as Executive Director, R&D Global Operations. He began his career at Merck & Co, initially as a chemist, but went on to hold several roles over the next 12 years – including Director, Resource & Research Planning – before moving into a senior management position at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Cambridge Healthtech Associates Inc.

Focused on fighting avoidable blindness, Orbis works with its network of partners, supporters and volunteers to train eye care professionals in places with the greatest need so they can save and restore vision in their communities. During the last four years, Orbis has implemented significant innovations that are revolutionizing the future of eye care – including its first-ever simulation-only training project, the launch of its first Green Vision Center in India and exceptional growth on its award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight.

About Orbis International

Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for nearly four decades. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners, including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, and an award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight. For the past nine consecutive years, Orbis has achieved Charity Navigator’s coveted four-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, placing Orbis in the top 3% of U.S. charities.