LHH Knightsbridge Seeks CEO for Lung Health Foundation
March 9, 2022 – Toronto-based LHH Knightsbridge has been enlisted to find the next chief executive officer for the Lung Health Foundation. George Habib, the non-profit’s current leader, recently announced that he will be retiring at the end of the year. “On behalf of the board of directors, and the Lung Health Foundation’s employees, volunteers, and partners, I would like to thank George for his leadership and years of service to the organization,” said Laurene Cihosky, chair of the Lung Health Foundation’s board of directors. “I’m confident that the organization will build on the foundation George established to chart an exciting new era for the organization, strengthening our efforts to improve the lung health of all Canadians.”
The Toronto-headquartered Lung Health Foundation’s next CEO you will be expected to provide strategic and operational leadership for the foundation in its transformation to a national mandate, said LHH Knightsbridge. Critical to success will be the ability to build relationships, collaboration, and advocacy with a complex and diverse network of stakeholders including sector partners, governments, corporate partners, donors, professional and clinical networks, research communities, and volunteers.
The new CEO must lead by example in executing the organization’s strategic plan. Building on a strong financial foundation, the individual will be charged with ensuring ongoing sustainability through revenue generation opportunities aligned to key strategic goals, the search firm said. As the Lung Health foundation transitions into the post-COVID world, the CEO will be expected to continue to build a positive and healthy culture and high-performance environment. “Equity, diversity, and inclusion principles will permeate the work of the foundation and be evidenced in the programs and services, current and future,” said LHH Knightsbridge.
Relationship Building
Whether from the non-profit or for-profit sector, the ideal candidate must bring experience in leading an organization through significant change and transformation, said the search firm. He or she should be entrepreneurially oriented, open to innovative ideas and concepts, and able to bring people to a shared point of view and align in one direction. Candidates should also be exceptional relationship builders and communicators with demonstrated skill in garnering respect and credibility and collaborating effectively with a variety of stakeholders that may include NGOs, governments, for-profit, and philanthropic sectors.
Prospects must bring senior leadership experience with demonstrated success in the development and implementation of plans to achieve results during times of growth and change, ensuring governance and organizational structure and processes continue to adapt, said LHH Knightsbridge. The individual should be an inclusive and inspirational leader. He or she must actively engage staff, balance consensus-building with effective decision-making, and encourage accountability and ownership. Being business savvy, adept at stewardship of resources, and astute at driving existing and new sources of revenue are critical. The right candidate will also be a humble, high-integrity and empathetic leader. A passion for and commitment to the cause is essential. Bilingualism in English and French would be an asset.
Founded in 1900, the Lung Health Foundation is a national organization dedicated to ending gaps in the prevention, diagnosis, and care of lung disease in Canada. The non-profit drives groundbreaking research and gives patients and their families vital programs and support.
Four Search Practice Areas
A subsidiary of LHH—a global provider of talent and leadership development, career transition and coaching— Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge delivers expertise in four search practice areas: executive search and recruitment, interim executive management, board of directors’ search, and recruitment solutions. The firm assists organizations in finding new talent, as well as helping their employees navigate change, become better leaders, develop better careers and transition into new jobs.
The firm is led by president Jim Mitchell. He is responsible for all Canada operations of the firm across all lines of business: career solutions, talent and leadership development, and executive search and recruitment. Mr. Mitchell is a member of the executive committee for both Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge and Lee Hecht Harrison globally. Prior to this role, he was senior vice president and managing director for Lee Hecht Harrison’s U.S. Midwest region, responsible for providing highly effective talent management solutions in one of North America’s most globally dynamic labor markets.
Over the course of his career Mr. Mitchell has managed successful and diverse teams in North America, Latin America, and Europe, resulting in the development and implementation of innovative global business solutions in the automotive, steel, utilities, and consumer products sectors. In addition to line management responsibilities, his business expertise includes market strategy, process transformation, operational planning, cost and economic analysis, and mergers and acquisitions.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
