Expertise

Executive Search in
Professional Services

Perrett Laver’s breadth of experience and cross-sector approach enables us to identify world-class Professional Services leaders from across the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and those who can move seamlessly between these sectors. 

 

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Professional Services leadership roles require a rare blend of skills, from operational excellence through to stakeholder management and strategic leadership.

They also require a deep knowledge of the organisation and the sector it operates in. 

We advise on Professional Services roles for the public and non-profit sector including universities, schools, health, government, research and innovation bodies, arts and culture organisations, charities, and NGOs.  

Our depth of expertise across all functions includes advancement and fundraising, marketing and communications, finance, human resources, information and technology, transformation, estates and operations. 

Recent Clients

British Heart Foundation
Queen's University Belfast
Victoria and
Albert Museum
Wellcome
Royal Opera House
The British School in Tokyo
Trinity College Dublin

Where We Can Help

Using executive search to identify and appoint senior leaders in Human Resources requires deep expertise, thorough knowledge, and unwavering trust.  

HR executives today face a wide range of modern challenges that require them to be adaptable, strategic, and forward-thinking. Leaders must be strategic, empathetic, and innovative, balancing the needs of the organisation with those of its employees in an increasingly complex and dynamic work environment.  

Perrett Laver’s longstanding experience of supporting a wide range of organisations across multiple sectors with their senior HR appointments means we have the network, knowledge and expertise to match the best leaders with the right opportunities. 

Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are often tasked with overseeing transformative initiatives, driving innovation, and managing strategic projects that significantly impact their organisations and communities.  

Our expertise and cross-sectoral approach allows us to identify CFOs who excel in leading these changes, driving financial performance, and creating sustainable value for their organisation.  

By placing visionary leaders, Perrett Laver can help public sector and non-profit organisations navigate financial complexities, improve transparency, and better serve their communities, ensuring long-term success. 

Perrett Laver has developed one of the world’s leading executive search practices offering highly specialised search services for Fundraising and Advancement appointments for universities, schools, arts and culture organisations and other non-profit bodies. 

We understand the complexities and unique requirements of these roles. From the diverse funding sources to the varied campaign types, these roles require individuals with the ability to coordinate diverse teams and stakeholders, whilst inspiring action and commitment.  

With our deep expertise across every Advancement function and our extensive global network, we know that the right leader can have a transformative impact on the organisations we work with.  

Perrett Laver has global experience working across the public, private and non-profit sector in identifying skilled communications and marketing leaders that can thrive in this constantly changing environment. 

We identify candidates with the skills and experience necessary to elevate brands, manage a hugely varied range of internal and external communications, and support the organisation’s strategic goals.

By using our extensive expertise across various sectors and regions, we collaborate with our clients to identify and recruit Communications leaders who can effectively shape and develop their organisation’s reputation and impact. 

Strategic leadership is essential for guiding organisational technological advancement in today’s fast-moving environment. Chief Information/Digital Officers are leading this transformation by fostering innovation and using technology to boost operational efficiency and enhance data-driven decision-making. 

Perrett Laver has extensive experience with supporting universities and other public sector and non-profit organisations with a range of senior digital leaders who can steer the organisation towards a successful and digitally enabled future.  

The remit of the Estates function, particularly in universities, is huge and finding leaders who can both engage in and deliver on strategic planning and policy development is essential. 

Perrett Laver has extensive global experience in sourcing best-in-class leadership of this function, from Chief Facilities Officers to Directors of Sustainability, Planning, Maintenance, and more. 

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

Chichester_Arabella_Global Senior Partner
Global Senior Partner

Arabella Chichester

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, Social Impact & Environment, Americas

Siobhan Doherty

Country Managing Partner, Australia

Janelle Entwistle

Country Managing Partner, Ireland

Michelle Scanlon

Partner, Higher Education, UK

Fiona Carruthers

Consultant, Americas

Will Riggs

Senior Consultant, Australia

Arturo Uriostegui

Senior Consultant, Europe

Anne-May Janssen

Senior Consultant, UK

James McSean

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.

Arabella Chichester

Global Senior Partner

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

Arabella has been at Perrett Laver for over twelve years and was Global Head of the Social Impact and Environment Practice for 8 years. Arabella scaled and diversified Perrett Laver’s Social Impact and Environment Practice to become one of the leading advisors on leadership recruitment in the sector.

Arabella’s experience at Perrett Laver includes senior Chair, Board and Chief Executive appointments across the Social Impact and Environment Sector. This includes working with INGOs, Foundations, domestic non-profits, the UN, research institutes, social enterprises and at the intersection of the social impact and private sector.

Arabella holds a MA (Hons) in Ancient History from the University of Edinburgh and a PG Dip in Psychology at the Institute of Education, University of London.

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.

Siobhan Doherty

Partner & Sector Lead, Social Impact & Environment, Americas

Siobhan is a Partner & Sector Lead, Social Impact & Environment, Americas.

Her experience of senior level executive search includes Board and Executive appointments in the Global Non-Profit Practice.

She holds a BA (Hons) in Politics and Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

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.

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.

Fiona Carruthers

Partner, Higher Education, UK

Her experience in senior level executive search includes Board, Chief Executive and Senior Academic and Administrative appointments globally in higher education.

Fiona has spent the majority of her career in executive search, working with a variety of organisations in both the public and private sectors. For the last decade, she has focused on Higher Education, helping to establish the Practice for Heidrick and Struggles and more recently working at Odgers Berndtson. She holds a Joint BA (Hons) in History & American Studies from Keele University.

Will Riggs

Consultant, Americas

Will has 4 years of executive search experience and is a Consultant within Perrett Laver’s Social Impact Practice, supporting the practice’s work across North America.

His search experience includes Board, Chief Executive and C-Suite appointments across a range of  nonprofit and private sector clients. Some notable clients include the Gates Foundation, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, FEED and The Claremont Colleges. Before joining Perrett Laver, Will held Consultant and Research roles with other global executive search firms, and led Customer Success for a SaaS startup in local grocery delivery.

Will is based in Asheville, North Carolina. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Arturo Uriostegui

Senior Consultant, Australia

Arturo Uriostegui is a Consultant in the Sydney office.

He was previously Head of Research for Perrett Laver in Australia. His experience of senior level executive search includes Senior Academic, Administrative, Chair and Professorial appointments globally in higher education and research. In addition, Arturo works extensively across the Schools Practice in senior level executive appointments, with a particular focus on the Australian market.

Arturo holds a BA in International Studies from the University of California San Diego, a Master of International Business from the University of New South Wales and an MBA (Executive) from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at the UNSW Business School. Prior to joining Perrett Laver, he spent time as a tutor in universities in Hong Kong and private institutions in Latin America. Arturo is fluent in English, Spanish, & Portuguese and speaks conversational French.

Anne-May Janssen

Senior Consultant, Europe

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

James McSean

Senior Consultant, UK

James McSean is a Senior Consultant in the Higher Education Practice

James joined Perrett Laver from Queen Mary University of London, where he was Head of the Principal’s Office, supporting the senior executive of the University and leading the executive support team. Prior to that James spent ten years at Imperial College London across a variety of roles, including five years providing high-level support and policy advice to the Provost.

James holds a BA degree in History from the University of Cambridge.

Notable Appointments

Bernard van Leer Foundation Appoints Rushda Majeed as Chief Programme Officer

08 Jul 2022

The Center for Open Science Welcomes Lisa Cuevas Shaw as COO and Managing Director

07 Jul 2021

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