Press Release
Sophie Wigniolle Begins Service as Global Board Chair; New Slate of Officers Elected
New York, NY, January 28, 2026 — The Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the global association representing the firms that place and advise the world’s leaders, today announced its 2026 Global Board of Directors and Regional Council Officers and new members joining both the Global Board and AESC’s Regional Councils. The new slate builds on the organizational transformation initiated in 2025, reflecting renewed momentum and strengthened global representation.
Led by newly elected Global Board Chair Sophie Wigniolle, the Global Board brings together a dynamic group of officers committed to advancing strong governance, global representation, and increased value for AESC members worldwide.
“Sophie Wigniolle is enormously well-respected in the profession and in our organization,” said AESC President & CEO James Edmund Datri. “Working closely with our former Global Chair Julian Ha, Sophie was instrumental in our turnaround last year as AESC’s Vice Chair. I now look forward to working with her in her new role as AESC’s Global Chair, along with our new Vice Chair Jacques Bouwens, our Treasurer David Turner, our Chair Emeritus Julian Ha, and our entire Global Board to continue the exciting transformation of AESC.”
2026 AESC Global Board of Directors Officers
- Sophie Wigniolle, Partner, Eric Salmon & Partners (Paris), begins her term as AESC Global Board Chair.
- Jacques Bouwens, Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates (Amsterdam), will begin his term as Vice Chair.
- David Turner, Executive Vice President, Slayton Search Partners (Phoenix, AZ), continues as Secretary-Treasurer.
- Julian Ha, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles (Washington, DC), becomes Chair Emeritus.
“This is a very exciting time for AESC,” said AESC Global Board of Directors Chair Sophie Wigniolle. “I am proud of all we accomplished together this past year, and I look forward to working with the officers and our talented board of industry leaders from around the world to continue the expansion of AESC’s reach, growth, and impact for our Members and our profession.”
In addition to the newly elected officers, the Board welcomes a new member. Simon Wan, Shanghai-based Chief Executive of Cornerstone International Group worldwide and President of Cornerstone in China, joins the AESC Global Board of Directors, bringing more than 20 years of experience leading a global executive search organization.
View the full 2026 AESC Global Board of Directors
Complementing the Global Board, AESC’s Regional Councils play a central role in advancing the association’s mission and member engagement at the regional level. The 2026 Council Officers reflect AESC’s continued commitment to strong, globally representative governance.
Regional Council Officers for 2026
- Pilar Brogeras, Managing Director, Global Functional Leader Startups and Scale-ups, Stanton Chase (Mexico City) becomes the Americas Council Chair.
- James Zaniello, President & Founder, Vetted Solutions (Washington, DC) becomes the Americas Council Vice Chair.
- K Sudarshan, Managing Partner India & Regional VP, EMA Partners International (Mumbai), continues to serve as APAC Council Chair.
- Simon Wan, CEO, Cornerstone International Group (Shanghai), continues to serve as APAC Council Vice Chair.
- Jacques Bouwens, Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates (Amsterdam), continues to serve as EMEA Council Chair.
- Jenni Hibbert, Global Managing Partner, Heidrick & Struggles (London), becomes the EMEA Council Vice Chair.
The 2026 Regional Councils are further strengthened by the addition of 12 new Council members representing AESC firms across key global markets.
Americas Council
The Americas Council welcomes:
- Lucrecia Airaldi, Managing Partner and LATAM Regional Chair, EMA Partners (Buenos Aires)
- Matthew D. Belda, Partner, Spencer Stuart (Chicago, IL)
- Christina Cary, Partner-in-Charge, Heidrick & Struggles (Washington, DC)
- Greg Gerson, Founder & CEO, Fusion Search Partners (Philadelphia, PA)
- Amy Reid, Managing Partner, Executive Search, Royer Thompson (Halifax)
- Stephanie Tomasso, Managing Director, Hub Leader, Russell Reynolds Associates (Washington DC)
- Derek Wilkinson, Partner, US Head Public Impact Practice, US Co-Head Education Practice, & Global Co-Head, Public Impact Practice, Odgers (Washington, DC)
APAC Council
The Asia Pacific Council welcomes:
- Katrina Andrews, Founder and Managing Partner, The Andrews Partnership (Sydney)
- Anne Zhang Kristensen, Partner, Mercuri Urval (Shanghai)
EMEA Council
The EMEA Council welcomes:
- Kathleen Dunton, Managing Partner and Chair, Board of Directors, Boyden (Frankfurt)
- Päivi Paanila, Partner, Avant Advisors (Helsinki)
- Celeste Whatley, Chief Executive Officer, TRANSEARCH (London)
View all AESC Regional Council Officers and Members
Together, the 2026 Global Board of Directors and Regional Councils reflect AESC’s continued evolution as a globally connected and strategically focused association. Building on the transformation initiated in 2025, this leadership structure positions AESC to deepen member engagement, strengthen professional standards, and expand its role as the global voice of executive search and leadership consulting.
About AESC
AESC Member firms place and advise the world’s board directors and C-suite leaders. Founded in 1959, AESC represents the global gold standard in executive search and leadership consulting, bringing together over 16,000 professionals in more than 80 countries. AESC Members are rigorously vetted to meet the highest standards in the profession, with only the top tier accepted into Membership.
To serve and promote its Members, AESC holds exclusive multi-day events and summits across the globe; provides in-person and online educational seminars and courses; operates the BlueSteps platform connecting candidates with AESC Member firms; publishes extensive industry research, as well as Executive Talent magazine; and provides access to exclusive Insight Exchanges and partnerships to assist Members with virtually every part of their business operations.
