Open Roles
EN
- English
- DEUTSCH
- SPANISH
- FRENCH
Individuals applied for this position
Individuals were shortlisted for formal consideration
of Shortlisted candidates were female
About the European Respiratory Society
ERS is a non-profit international membership organisation that brings together physicians, healthcare professionals, scientists and other experts working in respiratory medicine. ERS is one of the leading medical organisations in the respiratory field, with a growing membership of over 34.000 members, representing over 160 countries. ERS prioritises science, education and advocacy in order to promote lung health, alleviate suffering from disease and drive standards for respiratory medicine globally. Membership of ERS provides access to a global network of respiratory professionals, access to all the latest educational and scientific resources and events, to ERS’ publications, and opportunities which aim to support professional career development or further scientific research.
The ERS mission is to promote respiratory health and alleviate suffering from respiratory disease. ERS aims to achieve its mission through three core, closely interlinked pillars: promoting high-quality, cutting-edge science and research, providing access to state-of-the art educational material and by playing a major role in advocacy raising the profile of respiratory diseases to policymakers and building global alliances.
Working with you and the Perrett Laver team was a real pleasure, an interesting and important experience. And, we not only succeeded in identifying a strong candidate but we did it in a very well structured, thoughtful way, I could even say – in an elegant way.
With the retirement of their Executive Director (ED), who had been with the organisation for 20 years, ERS initiated the search for his replacement. His long tenure meant that the departing ED had a wealth of institutional and historical knowledge, leaving big shoes to fill. In addition, the organisation was on the eve of change, having determined that the organisational structure needed to be adapted so that the departments would work less in silos and the offices (located across 3 countries) could have closer working relations.
ERS sought a new ED who could not only manage the offices but also had the experience to lead the organisation through the planned changes. In addition, as is common for membership organisations the elected leadership changes annually, as such the new ED needed to understand the complexities of working for such an organisation and what that meant for their required leader style. With these challenges in mind, the search process was planned and conducted in close partnership with ERS, and with great attention to detail and taking into account potential sensitivities.
The search, from start to finish, was based on a deep sense of trust between the selection committee and the Perrett Laver team. Having conducted a thorough search, we presented the committee with a strong and diverse candidate field.
This search was a true partnership in which we could support ERS with an inspiring appointment that will solidify the success and future development of the organisation.
Isabelle Moussard Carlsen has over 30 years’ experience in global leadership roles in the humanitarian and development fields. She was the Head of Office for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Afghanistan. Prior to that she worked at Action Against Hunger for 16 years. Isabelle demonstrated extensive experience with leading organisations, especially in uncertain and stressful times, she was well adept at managing different stakeholders and their needs, and convinced the panel of the transferability of her skills. With her calm personality exhibited in her leadership style, she will be able to support ERS with their ambitions for the future. After a handover period with the leaving ED, Isabelle has officially started as Executive Director in January 2026.
As a candidate I really appreciated the support provided by the Perrett Laver team. I look forward to the challenge of applying my skills honed in the humanitarian space for the future development of ERS.
Gender Diversity
Two thirds of the Shortlist was female and Isabelle marks the first female Executive Director of ERS.
Cross-sectoral Appointment
The appointment demonstrates the strong added value that Perret Laver can bring to a search. The client initially felt that experience in a medical society was crucial experience for this role. However, with our guidance and the quality of the candidate field, we were able to show the skills and leadership experience built in other organisations, can be transferred and used to the benefit of ERS.
Anne-May brings extensive experience in the international higher education and research sectors. Before joining Perrett Laver, Anne-May was Secretary-General of the Aurora Universities Network, an international membership organisation of universities across Europe and beyond. As Secretary-General, Anne-May provided strategic supervision over the EU grant application under the prestigious European Universities Initiative. She managed the Aurora Central Office in Amsterdam and supported and advised the Aurora Board and General Council. She successfully increased the network’s visibility, and in Brussels represented Aurora members on developments in EU higher education and research policy – often in close cooperation with other organisations representing higher education, such as the European University Association (EUA), the Guild, YERUN and the Coimbra Group.
Anne-May holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a BA in European Studies and an Msc in Public Policy and Human Development
Lisbeth is the Managing Partner, Netherlands & Head of Research Europe.
Her experience of senior level executive search includes Senior Academic, Chair and Professorial appointments globally across all disciplines in higher education.
Lisbeth holds an MSc in Biology, a subsequent MSc in Environmental Management and Sanitation, and a PhD in Environmental Toxicology, all from Ghent University, Belgium. Her doctoral research focussed on the occurrence, effects and risks of marine microplastics. Lisbeth is fluent in Dutch and English, and speaks basic French and German.
