Christian Ayerst, the new chief executive of Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS), is no stranger to bringing technology to bear to drive business success.
The former Stolt-Nielsen senior legal counsel is aiming to digitise a lot of MHSS' work with seafarers worldwide.
And his record reveals an affinity for platform-based solutions.
Ayerst is founder and chief operating officer at Gigl, a kind of Airbnb for the recruitment sector that links up companies to potential employees.
Gigl stresses it is not an agency, merely a platform.
The lawyer is also co-founder and chief executive of Hidols, which offers personalised video messages from celebrities to their fans.
Hidols went mainstream when it was featured on the BBC website this year.
Clients include UK TV fitness guru Mr Motivator, snooker player John Virgo and actress Linda Lusardi.
The platform is helping fill the gap caused by the closure of theatres and live music venues during the pandemic.
Sending video messages is a way for stars to supplement their income, Ayerst told the BBC.
Lucrative sideline
They can earn at least £10,000 ($13,300) a year by doing 40 messages a month, as well as interacting with fans.
Ayerst's Gigl biography says he loves "seasonal and part-time work".
"Since 16 he has sold shoes in shops, folded linen in factories and spent seasons in the sun. Fun fact: Manchester United couldn’t sign him as a waiter because he was too expensive," the blurb reads.
Ayerst also served for many years as a volunteer police officer, which he believes gave him valuable insight into mental health issues.
He told TradeWinds: "The world has changed with Covid. What we have to do is understand how different cultures, different languages and different people can use and understand the information."
Accessibility is key
The plan is to make the mental health message more accessible.
"We're obviously looking at digitising a lot of what we do, in a world where people consume things through apps and social media. We're leading the charge at the technological forefront.
"People consume things through short bite-sized information blasts and that is the way the world is now. In 10 years, it might look different."
