Expertise

Executive Search in
Arts, Culture & Sport

Perrett Laver is a leading executive search firm working with organisations globally to make senior, transformative appointments across the Arts, Culture and Sports sectors. 

 

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We believe passionately in the huge impact and value that these sectors have across society, and understand the needs of organisations that promote change in these areas.

We’re privileged to support and advise Arts, Culture & Sport organisations on a vast range of senior appointments, from Chief Executives and other Senior Executive Directors to Non-Executive Director and Board of Trustee posts. 

Clients include a wide range of performing and visual art institutions and educational environments, cultural heritage organisations, trusts and foundations that support cultural and sporting activity, learned and professional societies in the arts and sports, and sporting bodies. 

Using a rigorous, research-driven and cross-sectoral approach and leveraging our networks, we locate the strongest and most exciting talent, wherever they may be. 

 

Recent Clients

Tate
Sport England
TEFAF
UK Sport
Victoria and
Albert Museum
Parkrun

Where We Can Help

We work with national museum groups and libraries, heritage bodies, and internationally renowned contemporary visual art galleries at Non-Executive Director, Chief Executive and Senior Director levels.

In addition to our global network of leaders with specialist and curatorial backgrounds, our wider experience across sectors has secured Professional Services leaders from all functions.

We lead assignments for global organisations that promote engagement with performing arts including theatre, opera, wider music companies and venues, festivals, and multidisciplinary venues.

We’re passionate about education for arts and culture, particularly at a time when global economic and political changes threaten their promotion and future sustainability. We have a strong track record of recruitment to specialist educational organisations.

Perrett Laver is a global market leader for our work with non-profits, educational, and charitable arts and culture organisations.

We’ve supported a number of trusts, foundations, learned societies and membership bodies, and other non-profit or charitable organisations that advocate for Arts and Culture, across a range of senior executive and non-executive appointments.

We support organisations across arts and culture to appoint Trustees and Chairs to their Board, Council or Governing Body. For more information on our Governance and Board work click here.

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) hold responsibility and influence as representatives of their sports. Perrett Laver’s searches consider the commercial, administrative, and sporting ambitions of NGBs, and bring an unrivalled understanding of governance requirements.

As well as leveraging our networks within the sector to engage high-calibre leaders, we nurture and support the next generation of leaders from this and other sectors.

We proactively support a number of trusts, foundations, societies and membership bodies, and other non-profit or charitable organisations, across a range of senior executive and non-executive appointments.

We also support non-profits and team and club foundations using sport as a tool, for example, to advance employability, educational development, educational attainment, and mental wellbeing.

Find out more

Our Diversity in Sports Leadership Programme with Sport England & UK Sport

Meet our Experts

Birgit-Brandt
Regional Managing Partner, Asia Pacific

Dr Birgit Brandt

Sarah John - Regional Managing Partner - UK, Africa & Middle East
Regional Managing Partner, UK and Africa & Middle East

Sarah John

Gordon Lobay - Regional Managing Partner - Americas
Regional Managing Partner, Americas

Dr Gordon Lobay

Jospehine Scholten - Regional Managing Partner, Europe
Regional Managing Partner, Europe

Josephine Scholten

Global Senior Partner

Dr Sinéad Gibney

Thomas Weinberg Joint Managing Partner for the UK and Global Head for Knowledge and Innovation Economies
Global Managing Partner

Thomas Weinberg

Partner & Sector Lead, Sports, UKAME

Imogen Baird

Country Managing Partner, United States & Chair, Employee Ownership Trust

Erik Jackson

Country Managing Partner, Australia

Janelle Entwistle

Bing Han, Country Managing Partner, China
Country Managing Partner, China

Bing Han

Country Managing Partner, Hong Kong

Katharine Poundstone

Partner & Sector Lead, Research, Technology & Innovation, Europe

Dr Emi Saliasi

Country Managing Partner, Ireland

Michelle Scanlon

Country Managing Partner, Germany

Dr Nicole Shea

Country Managing Partner, Scotland & Co-Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK

Jill Cloke

Partner & Co-Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK

Katherine Hunter

Country Managing Partner, United Arab Emirates

Emma Stone

Dr Birgit Brandt

Regional Managing Partner, Asia Pacific

Birgit Brandt is Regional Managing Partner, Asia Pacific.

Her experience includes Chief Executive and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments in Higher Education and Research, Schools and Global Non-Profit Practices with Asia-Pacific.

Birgit holds a PhD from the University of Warwick in Sociology and MAs in Race and Ethnic Studies and Political Science from Warwick and the Freie Universitat Berlin, respectively. Birgit began her career as a Research Fellow in Berlin moving to the University of Warwick to work in the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations and the Department of Politics and International Studies.

She moved on to join a novel research grants programme that sought to support partnerships between UK universities and charities and was appointed Head of Grants at the Royal Society and Director of Programmes at the British Academy.

She has travelled extensively, including six months in PRC learning Mandarin.

Sarah John

Regional Managing Partner, UK and Africa & Middle East

Sarah is a Regional Managing Partner, UK and Africa & Middle East, working with colleagues across our different sectors to serve clients as they pursue new leadership.

She has worked for the firm for over a decade and has a particular breadth of expertise and experience in leading senior level executive search for Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, senior academic and professional services leaders, and non-executive governance appointments globally within the Higher Education and related sectors. Her clients include universities in both research-intensive and teaching focused environments, as well as specialist HEIs. She is always keen to support the sector more broadly, working with organisations such as Advance HE and the Women in Higher Education Network in pursuit of better diversity and inclusion in universities.

Sarah holds a BA (Hons) in English and Related Literature from the University of York. Prior to joining Perrett Laver, she worked for an HR consultancy in the account management function and also trained as a career coach.

Dr Gordon Lobay

Regional Managing Partner, Americas

Gordon is the Regional Managing Partner, Americas. He leads our Canadian operations and delivers senior-level searches across all of the sectors in which we operate.

He began with the firm in our London office and subsequently opened the Vancouver office in 2013 and the Toronto office a few years later.

Gordon holds a B.A. in Classics and Anthropology from Alberta, an MPhil in Archaeology from Glasgow, PhD (on the looting and illegal trading of antiquities) from Cambridge (Homerton College) and a Corporate Executive Certificate from the Alberta, School of Business.

Before joining Perrett Laver Gordon held junior research positions at Texas (Institute of Classical Archaeology) and Westminster (ESRC Project on the UK’s Dealing in Cultural Objects Offences Act 2003) and he was Collections Management Advisor at Alberta (Museums and Collections Services). He was also an Associate Scholar on the Intellectual Property in Cultural Heritage Project and continues to write book reviews for a few academic journals.

He also brings government experience from the UK (Parliamentary Ombudsman) and Canada (Government of Alberta), where he managed a socioeconomic program evaluation team and received a Premier’s Award for outstanding client services.

Josephine Scholten

Regional Managing Partner, Europe

Josephine is a Regional Managing Partner, Europe.

Her experience of senior level executive search includes Board, Chief Executive, Senior Academic and Administrative appointments throughout Europe, within the Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Social Impact and Environment and Arts and Culture Practice.

Prior to joining Perrett Laver, Josephine gained extensive experience in the Higher Education sector having served as the Executive Director of the Universities of the Netherlands (VSNU) for over 7 years. In addition, she was an active member of the European University Association (EUA).

Acting as an Adviser to University Presidents, she was responsible for the national lobbying strategy towards the Dutch Government. Under her responsibility, important strategic projects such as the open access strategy and the national research programme ‘digital society’ were initiated.

As Senior Vice President HR Josephine spent 3 years living in Geneva working for an international trading firm. She brings over 10 years of experience as interim manager in the public- private domain.

Josephine holds a Masters in Political Science from the University of Amsterdam and is an IMD alumna.

Dr Sinéad Gibney

Global Senior Partner

As Global Senior Partner, Sinéad is responsible for the long-term strategic development of Perrett Laver alongside the acceleration of its commercial growth.

During her ten years at Perrett Laver, Sinéad established and led the firm’s operations in Amsterdam and Dublin, while continuing to grow Perrett Laver’s Research, Technology and Innovation, and Higher Education practices across Europe.

Sinéad’s experience at Perrett Laver includes advising on senior executive and non-executive appointments for universities, public and privately funded research institutes, as well as research-oriented charities and non-profits.

Sinéad holds an honours degree in Natural Science from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in Neuroscience from University College Cork.

Thomas Weinberg

Global Managing Partner

Tom has been with Perrett Laver for twelve years, having served as Joint Managing Partner for the UK and Global Head for Knowledge and Innovation Economies.

Tom has grown Perrett Laver’s work across Latin America and the Middle East, co-led Perrett Laver’s largest region through a significant period of growth and spent two years in the US opening the company’s first office there.

Tom has advised upon senior executive and board appointments for institutions in over twenty countries, for institutions including the University of Oxford, NYU, Monterrey Tec, the University of Cape Town, Imperial, INSEAD, HKUST and Nanyang Technological University and at organizations such as the Chatham House, NEOM and the Africa Health Research Institute.

Prior to joining Perrett Laver he worked in the communications industry. He holds an MA (hons) from the University of Edinburgh.

Imogen Baird

Partner & Sector Lead, Sports, UKAME

Imogen is a Partner & Sector Lead, Sports for UKAME.

Her experience includes work across the sporting landscape, in both the professional and recreational game. As well as NGBs, teams and clubs, she has worked extensively with charities and foundations that interface with sport and non-departmental governing bodies, on board and senior executive roles. Other experience includes across education and research leadership, and the wider UK voluntary sector.

Imogen holds a first class BA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Exeter with College Commendation, and an MA with distinction in Critical Methodologies from King’s College London. She is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Prior to joining Perrett Laver, Imogen held the position of Vice-President (Academic Affairs) at Exeter University Students’ Guild.

Imogen previously competed to international level as part of the Great Britain Karate team and continues to enjoy all aspects of health and fitness.

Erik Jackson

Country Managing Partner, United States & Chair, Employee Ownership Trust

Erik is Managing Partner for Perrett Laver’s work in the US and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

His experience in senior level executive search includes Board, Chief Executive and other senior leadership appointments our Social Impact & Environment, Higher Education, and Research, Technology & Innovation sectors.

Erik holds BA in History from Menlo College in California, where he was class Valedictorian and an MSt in History from the University of Oxford. Before joining the firm, he held the position of Business Development Manager for the geopolitical consulting firm Oxford Analytica.

Janelle Entwistle

Country Managing Partner, Australia

Janelle is Managing Partner of our Australian operations and leads our office in Sydney.

Her senior level executive search experience includes Senior Academic and Administrative appointments globally in higher education and research and for organisations across the cultural and sports sectors.

She holds a Bachelor degree in Social Science and a Master degree in Marketing from The University of Newcastle, and a Master degree in Management from The Australian National University.  Janelle has significant experience in strategic marketing and communications, student recruitment, relationship management, events, business development and international relations. Prior to joining Perrett Laver, Janelle held senior management roles at the Australian National University and the University of Newcastle and is experienced in sports administration having held the position of General Manager for Netball Tasmania, and has also held senior marketing and communications positions in the mining and not-for-profit sectors. Janelle has travelled extensively, particularly across Asia.

Bing Han

Country Managing Partner, China

Bing is a Partner at Perrett Laver and is now leading Perrett Laver’s new Hong Kong office, opened in January 2015.

His experience includes Chief Executive and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments in Higher Education and Research within Asia-Pacific.

A native of Beijing, Bing was most recently Director for China Programmes at the Alliance for Global Education, where he led the design of all Alliance for Global Education academic programmes in China, developed and maintained institutional relationships with more than 200 universities in both the U.S. and China and oversaw the Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an centers of operations.

Bing has many years of experience at senior management in global higher education and prior to that has taught in China and in the US at Asian Studies Department at Vassar College and Williams College.

He has been central in building scholarly exchanges and joint programmes between US and Chinese Universities and brings a deep understanding of Mainland China and Hong Kong higher education and research sectors.

Bing Han earned a BA in Electrical Engineering in 1996, a BA in International Business in 1997, and an MA in Communications Technology in 2000 from the Harbin Institute of Technology and the Beijing Institute of Microwave Metrology & Measurement respectively.

Katharine Poundstone

Country Managing Partner, Hong Kong

Katharine is a Partner at Perrett Laver and co-lead of our Hong Kong operation.

Her experience includes Chief Executive and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments in Higher Education and Research within Asia-Pacific.

Katharine has until recently been the Resident Director for the Alliance for Global Education in Beijing. A native of Kentucky, Katharine, has lived and worked in mainland China for many years, beginning with a study abroad experience in Beijing in 1992-93.

After graduating from Reed College (BA in Chinese Language & Literature; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) she spent a year in China as a Thomas J. Watson fellow and then completed her M.H.S. at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2000 Katharine returned to China, where she has worked as epidemiologist on various public health projects, including projects focussing on AIDS/STD prevention and control, with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the World Health Organization, and the Chinese government. She also received a fellowship from the Blakemore Foundation to study advanced Mandarin Chinese at Tsinghua University in 2008-09.

Dr Emi Saliasi

Partner & Sector Lead, Research, Technology & Innovation, Europe

Her senior level executive search experience includes Executive and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments in the Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Social Impact and Environment and Arts and Culture sectors. In addition, she has worked on multiple senior appointments in the intersection between academic organisations, arts and culture, and industry.

Emi holds a BSc in Psychology, an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience from Utrecht University and a PhD in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging from the University of Groningen. Before joining Perrett Laver, Emi worked as a postdoc in Social Medicine at the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam. Besides her academic commitments, she also represented the PhD community in Groningen and helped manage the communication platforms for a large conference.

Emi is fluent in English, Dutch & Albanian and speaks conversational Italian.

Michelle Scanlon

Country Managing Partner, Ireland

Michelle is a Managing Partner.

Michelle works in Perrett Laver’s Dublin office. She is a Partner, former Head of the Project Management team and has worked across a number of Perrett Laver’s global Offices including London, Chicago and Hong Kong. She works with organisations across our Global Higher Education, Sport, Social Impact and Health sectors.

Dr Nicole Shea

Country Managing Partner, Germany

Nicole is Managing Partner, Germany.

Her experience of senior level executive search includes Board, Chief Executive, Senior Academic and Administrative appointments throughout Europe, within the Higher Education, Research, Technology and Innovation, Social Impact and Environment sectors.

Prior to joining Perrett Laver, Nicole was Executive Director of the Council for European Studies at Columbia University (CES) and the Executive Editor and Founder of the journal EuropeNow. She oversaw the renowned annual International Conference of Europeanists, the prestigious World Society Foundation Global Fellowships as well as the Mellon-Dissertation Completion Fellowships, among others, and supported 17 Research Networks, including those addressing the Environment, European Culture, Immigration and Social Movements.

She is the author of The Politics of Prostitution in ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ and the editor of The Many Voices of Europe: Mobility and Migration in Contemporary Europe. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Binghamton University.

Jill Cloke

Country Managing Partner, Scotland & Co-Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK

Jill is Managing Partner, Scotland & Joint Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK

Her experience of senior level executive search includes advising on Chair, Trustee, Chief Executive and executive team searches across the Non Profit and Social sector and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments in the Higher Education and Research and Global Non-Profit sectors.

Jill holds an MA in International Relations from the University of St Andrews. She has lived and worked in Japan and spent her early career in the UK charity sector.

Katherine Hunter

Partner & Co-Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK

Kate is a Partner & Joint Sector Lead, Higher Education, UK.

Her experience of senior level executive search includes Board, Chief Executive, Senior Academic and Administrative appointments globally within the Higher Education, Health and Social Care, and the Arts and Culture sector practices.

Kate began her career in the arts, working in communications roles, culminating as Head of Communications at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Kate has around 15 years’ experience of working in global higher education, both from within an institution and externally, as an advancement practitioner and an advisor to government, institutions and other stakeholders. Prior to joining Perrett Laver, Kate was Executive Director for CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Europe. CASE is a global membership association with a focus on advocacy, training, research and data to support advancement – fundraising, marketing, communications, alumni relations. Kate worked closely with HEFCE, Universities UK and Arts & Business on sector-wide initiatives to build advancement capacity, including launching a fundraising graduate trainee programme. Kate holds a BA Hons in French with Spanish.

Emma Stone

Country Managing Partner, United Arab Emirates

Emma Stone is a strategic and results orientated leader and trusted advisor with extensive governance, human resources, and organisational development experience in the higher education sector. Prior to joining Perrett Laver she was Director of OD and Institutional Effectiveness at Mohammad Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi.

Before commencing her international career she gained over 20 years experience at the University of Cambridge where she held the role of Director of Human Resources. Her career then led her to an international move joining the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), as Adviser to the Vice Chancellor and subsequently to MBZUAI in Abu Dhabi as Director of OD and Institutional Effectiveness working with the President to establish this new highly specialised graduate school.

Emma is accustomed to operating at board level, leading organizational change, and resolving complex employment relations issues. She specializes in the development and interpretation of policy, leadership of multidisciplinary teams and projects, provision of operational advice, recruitment, and resourcing, learning and development, and employee relations.

Emma hold a bachelors degree in Psychology, MA (Cantab) and is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Notable Appointments

Imperial War Museums Appoints Caro Howell as Director-General

06 Dec 2022

Natural History Museum welcomes Sir Patrick Vallance as Chairman, Board of Trustees

01 Feb 2022

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