Intersearch Worldwide Elects Chairwoman and New Board Members
May 19, 2026 – InterSearch Worldwide, a global alliance of executive search companies, has announce the newly elected board following and the appointment of Vanessa Delacourt as chairwoman, marking an exciting new chapter and reinforcing the organization’s commitment to innovation and sustainable growth. The board has welcomed: Leslie Cooper A. (Chile); Vanessa Delacourt (Benelux); Frank Schelstraete (Belgium); Henri Vidalinc (France); and Alexander Wilhelm (Germany).
“Bringing together extensive international experience, diverse market perspectives, and a strong commitment to collaboration, the new board reflects the strength and strategic ambitions of InterSearch Worldwide as we continue to evolve in an increasingly interconnected leadership landscape,” the consortium said in a LinkedIn post.
“As we look ahead, the new board is committed to building on this strong foundation by further strengthening cross-border collaboration, deepening member engagement and development, encouraging innovation in business approaches and technology, and continuing to deliver outstanding leadership solutions to clients around the world,” InterSearch continued. “Together, we remain focused on creating meaningful connections and driving long-term value across our global network.”
Ms. Delacourt joined Schelstraete Delacourt in 1996 and became a shareholder in 1999. She is CEO of the company and also heads the holding, Capenti (Minds&More, Apollo Executive Search, HR One and Schelstraete Delacourt). As CEO, Ms. Delacourt is in charge of managing the search activity in the Benelux. As head of Capenti, she drives growth both organically and via acquisitions. Ms. Delacourt focuses mainly on searches for boards of directors, CEOs and executive positions in companies in both the public and private sectors and both nationally and internationally. She works in a variety of business sectors. For many years, she was responsible for the consumer practice worldwide within the international partner network InterSearch.
Trust and Opportunity
“I am truly grateful for the trust and opportunity that come with this role,” Ms. Delacourt said. “Executive search is often described as the process of finding the right candidate. In reality, finding candidates is rarely the challenge. The more difficult task is understanding how someone will lead under pressure, how they will behave when circumstances become complex, and how they will influence an organization beyond what appears on a CV. A CV can describe experience; it reveals far less about character, judgement and impact.”
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“What I continue to believe strongly is that our profession is ultimately about understanding people. Not only listening to what is said, but recognizing what remains unsaid,” Ms. Delacourt said. “Our industry is evolving rapidly. Firms continue to consolidate, technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, and there is a growing tendency towards centralization and standardization. For a network such as ours, the temptation to follow that path is understandable. Yet I believe our strength lies precisely elsewhere.”
Executive Search Continues Its Confident Climb As Transformation Takes Center Stage
The executive search industry entered 2026 from a position of strength. According to Hunt Scanlon, fee revenue at the 50 largest executive search firms in the U.S. / Americas – the global talent sector’s largest and most dominant region – jumped 11 percent last year, topping out at $6.69 billion. Seventy-five percent of search firms on the roster polled by Hunt Scanlon reported positive growth, with nearly half (24 firms), expanding by double digits. By every measure, it was a big year.
Leadership demand across private equity and venture capital, healthcare services and healthcare tech, financial services, technology, AI, and professional services swelled last year. Legal recruiting, particularly the business of finding elite law firm partners, accelerated as strategic expansions across the sector exposed acute high-impact partner shortages.
To read the full issue of Hunt Scanlon Media’s 2026 Rankings Edition of Executive Search Review, click here!
Ms. Delacourt noted that InterSearch Worldwide is built on more than 50 independent partner firms, each deeply rooted in its own market and business culture. “That local understanding, combined with international collaboration, allows us to assess organizations, leadership dynamics and cultural fit in a way no centralized structure truly can,” she said. “As chair, my ambition is to strengthen and sharpen that distinctive quality. Not simply to make searches faster or processes more uniform, but to continue elevating the depth of insight and judgement that clients rely on when making leadership decisions that will shape their organizations for years to come.”
“Our clients deserve more than a shortlist,” Ms. Delacourt continued. “They deserve advisors who are capable of the deeper assessment that leadership appointments require. I look forward to working together with the new board and with every member firm across our global network as we continue building the future of InterSearch Worldwide.”
Related: Hunt Scanlon Launches Training Program for Executive Recruiters
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
