Heidrick & Struggles Seeks CEO for American Jewish Committee
July 30, 2021 – American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris recently announced he will step down from his position in May of 2022. The organization has called in Heidrick & Struggles to lead its search for his replacement. The search firm is seeking a visionary leader who will set the course for the next era of Jewish advocacy.
“Now, after more than three decades, I believe it’s time to pass the baton to a successor, as our Jewish story, I’ve always thought, is a kind of relay race,” said Mr. Harris. “When the successor is selected, she or he will have my full support and cooperation to ensure American Jewish Committee continues to be the preeminent global Jewish advocacy organization. To that end, I will be readily available for the following year as a consultant on the transition.”
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“In these unsettling times for the Jewish people, American Jewish Committee’s 115 years of front-line experience, record of tangible success, unparalleled access to the halls of power, and strict nonpartisanship are as vital as ever,” Mr. Harris said. “And for the next nearly one year, I will be devoting every ounce of intellectual, emotional and physical energy to American Jewish Committee’s programmatic and institutional priorities, as I have tried to do since that first moment in 1990. What an extraordinary journey it’s been!”
Building upon Mr. Harris’s tenure, American Jewish Committee’s succession committee, led by president Harriet P. Schleifer and honorary president John Shapiro, in conjunction with the organization’s executive council, and was supported by Heidrick & Struggles.
Mr. Harris will continue to lead American Jewish Committee through May 2022, following which he will stay on as consultant to the transition through June 2023.
For more than a century, American Jewish Committee has been the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. With offices across the U.S. and around the globe, and partnerships with Jewish communities worldwide, the organization works to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and to advance human rights and democratic values for all.
Social Impact
Heidrick & Struggles’ social impact practice prides itself in providing sophisticated advice and counsel to some of the world’s most impactful institutions. Areas of specialization cover the following sectors internationally: associations, culture and arts, education markets, foundations and philanthropy, government and policy, higher education, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and public and private schools.
“Finding effective leadership in these sectors has never been more critical, which is why non-profit, social enterprise and education executive search services are necessary for an organization’s growth,” Heidrick & Struggles said. “The emergence of new technologies and the creation and expansion of these markets requires aggressive, strategic organizational leadership paired with strong financial acumen. Heidrick & Struggles’ deep network of practice experts connect executives from Chicago to Shanghai – providing the most comprehensive leadership strategy expertise in the industry.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
