Russell Reynolds Associates Tapped to Find Center for Human Drug Research CEO

April 11, 2017 – The Center for Human Drug Research (CHDR) has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to lead its chief executive officer search. Jacques Bouwens, leader of the search firm’s global healthcare practice, is currently on the hunt for candidates with proven scientific track records.

Reporting to the organization’s board of trustees, the chosen CEO will be the key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to the vision and strategy of CHDR while working closely with its management team and staff. The position is based in Leiden, The Netherlands.

With strong academic credentials, the ideal candidate will have a proven track record of minimally 15 years in a relevant setting. The incoming chief must hold a mix of in-depth knowledge and experience, should possess strong scientific knowledge, robust business acumen and experience in leading teams. In addition, he or she must hold a PhD. Russell Reynolds noted that a psychometric assessment in which the candidate is evaluated against these criteria may be part of the recruitment process.

The Center for Human Drug Research is a privately held research organization that provides a full range of early stage clinical pharmacology services. Owned by a foundation, CHDR is specialized in early proof of pharmacology and in the complex process of drug development.

Recent Search Activity

Russell Reynolds Associates’ public sector, trade and associations practice group serves a wide variety of public sector and not-for-profit organizations, related public bodies, regulators, and government-owned companies. It also fills the executive leadership needs of global charities, healthcare providers, and local government and trade associations.

Mr. Bouwens, the recruiter spearheading this assignment, specializes in senior level executive and non-executive board assignments in the healthcare and technology industries. Recent assignments include advising clients on CEO succession and senior level executive assessments.

The search firm has been active serving non-profits in recent months. Just recently, it tapped Michael E. Hill as the 18th president of The Chautauqua Institution. The search was led by Russell Reynolds’ Washington, D.C., and Boston offices. Mr. Hill previously served as president and CEO of Youth For Understanding USA. The firm also recently recruited Kevin Watkins as chief executive officer of Save the Children International (SCI). Mr. Watkins joined Save the Children after a three year term as executive director of the influential U.K. think tank Overseas Development Institute. Russell Reynolds also recently placed Melanie Waters as chief executive officer of Help for Heroes, one of the best known charities in the U.K. In addition, the firm is currently leading searches for other U.K. charities, including Care Quality Commission, the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (RBH), and the U.K. Export Finance (UKEF).

Non-Profit Recruiting

The economic strength of the non-profit field has increased in recent years and it is now the third largest employer in the U.S. Nearly two million non-profit organizations employ 10.7 million people and produce revenue in excess of $1.9 trillion. This has certainly kept search firms busy. Here’s a look at some top non-profit searches that Hunt Scanlon Media has reported on over the past month.

• Non-profit recruiting specialist Association Strategies has been tapped by the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health to lead its search for a new president and CEO. Search firm president Pamela Kaul is leading the assignment. Located in Washington, D.C., with an operating budget of $15 million, the organization is the voice of accredited academic public health, representing schools and programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.

• Vetted Solutions has been tapped by the International Accreditation Service (IAS) to find its next president. President and founder, Jim Zaniello, and executive recruiter Michelle Smith are leading the assignment. The IAS is a leading accreditation body in the U.S. serving the global community. With a budget of approximately $7.2 million, the organization has accredited numerous organizations, helping them to demonstrate compliance and competence to their customers, regulators and the public.

• McAleer Gray recruited retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Thomas Zelibor as CEO of The Space Foundation. Founding partners Terrance McAleer and Brad Gray led the five-month national search assignment. Mr. Zelibor most recently served as chairman and CEO for Lightwave Logic. Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, non-profit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium.

• crawfordconnect has been retained by The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation in Ontario to lead its search for a new president and CEO. Senior search consultant Liz Latimer is leading the assignment. Established in 1984, The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation is a leading independent public charitable foundation that connects philanthropy to community needs and opportunities.

• BoardWalk Consulting placed civil rights litigator and advocate Vanita Gupta as the new president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Director Crystal Stephens led the assignment. Ms. Gupta most recently served in President Obama’s administration as head of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. Known for decades as the lobbying arm of the civil rights movement, The Leadership Conference has coordinated the advocacy on behalf of every major civil rights law since it was founded in 1950.

• Herd Freed Hartz Executive Search Partners has been selected by Northwest Harvest to lead its search for a new CEO. Search firm partner Fred Pabst is leading the assignment. Northwest Harvest is Washington’s statewide hunger relief agency. Its mission is leading the fight for hungry people statewide to have access to nutritious food while respecting their dignity and promoting good health.

• Bialla Partners placed Tallia Hart as president and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Partner Jeff Hodge led the assignment. Ms. Hart previously served as president and CEO of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce is the largest and most influential business membership organization in San Francisco. It serves more than 2,500 member businesses and over 200,000 employees.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media