The Association of Executive Search Consultants’ board elected Karen Greenbaum as president and CEO, effective Oct. 27. She succeeds Peter Felix, who intends to retire at the end of 2014 after 16 years as AESC’s CEO.

Greenbaum spent three decades with Mercer Consulting, rising from consultant to president and chief operating officer of Mercer’s US consulting practice, which then comprised more than $1 billion in revenue and 5,000 employees in 40 offices; her concluding role at Mercer was as worldwide partner, civic leadership. She also served on Mercer’s Global Leadership Group.

Greenbaum then served four years as chief operating officer for law firm Nixon Peabody. Most recently, she has been a partner with retained executive search firm Pierce Consulting Partners.

Greenbaum is on the board of the Committee of 200, a global organization of top executive women, and the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Illinois. She is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the International Women’s Forum, the Economic Club of Chicago and The Chicago Network. Greenbaum is an independent director for FJ Management.

“Karen Greenbaum is a world-class leader in professional services,” said Aidan Kennedy, AESC board chair and a London-based partner with CT Partners. “She is a client-focused business person, a thought leader on the human capital agenda and an experienced search professional. She brings a fresh perspective to the AESC and is the right leader to build on our successes and to advocate for our members.”