Stagwell (STGW) Strengthens Assembly Leadership with Two Key CEO Appointments
Stagwell refreshes Assembly’s global and APAC leadership as it scales media capabilities and footprint, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region.
Rhea-AI Summary
Stagwell (STGW) appointed Liz Rutgersson as CEO of Assembly, effective September 14, 2026.
Rutgersson will oversee Assembly globally and in North America, reporting to Slavi Samardzija, and is tasked with driving growth, strengthening client partnerships and leading the agency’s next phase. Connie Chan becomes CEO of Assembly APAC while continuing as Chief Growth Officer of Stagwell APAC, effective immediately, jointly steering Assembly’s expansion.
The leadership changes follow Stagwell’s broader APAC push, including a new Singapore headquarters, integration of Assembly and ADK GLOBAL, and recent awards at The Drum Marketing Awards APAC 2026.
Positive
- Liz Rutgersson appointed CEO of Assembly with global and North America remit effective September 14, 2026
- Connie Chan named CEO of Assembly APAC while retaining Stagwell APAC Chief Growth Officer role
- Integration of Assembly and ADK GLOBAL expands APAC capabilities, scale and client offering
- Assembly has over 3,000 experts across more than 40 offices worldwide
- Assembly work earned multiple honours at The Drum Marketing Awards APAC 2026 across several markets and categories
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
- CEO appointments
- 2 CEO appointments
- Assembly and Assembly APAC
- Effective date
- September 14, 2026
- Appointments effective immediately
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Liz Rutgersson appointed Chief Executive Officer of Assembly and Connie Chan elevated to CEO of Assembly APAC
New leadership team to drive next phase of growth for the global media agency
NEW YORK, NY AND SINGAPORE / ACCESS Newswire / September 14, 2026 / Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW), the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI, today announced the appointment of Liz Rutgersson as Chief Executive Officer of Assembly with a global and North America remit, effective September 14, 2026. Reporting to Slavi Samardzija, Global Chair of Media & Commerce at Stagwell, Rutgersson will drive Assembly's growth, strengthen client partnerships and lead the agency into its next chapter. Connie Chan will take on the role of CEO of Assembly APAC while continuing as Chief Growth Officer of Stagwell APAC, effective immediately. Together, these leaders will drive the next phase of growth for Assembly.
Rutgersson brings more than 20 years of marketing expertise spanning brand building and strategy, digital media, analytics and search optimization. She has a proven track record of driving new business growth while maintaining high agency and client retention rates. Rutgersson joins Assembly after 16 years at dentsu, most recently serving as CEO of iProspect North America for the past three years. Throughout her career, she has partnered with leading global brands including Hilton, eBay, Salesforce, Ferrero, Dollar General and Tesco.
Chan brings three decades of experience across media, marketing, and business leadership. Since taking on the Chief Growth Officer role, she has helped expand Stagwell's presence across key APAC markets, driving new business growth, strengthening regional client partnerships, and advancing capabilities across media and digital experience.
"Liz and Connie are exceptional leaders with a proven track record of driving growth for advertisers, building high-performing teams and helping clients succeed in a rapidly changing media ecosystem. Their appointments strengthen Assembly's leadership for what comes next and reinforce our commitment to creating a more modern, agile agency that delivers meaningful business outcomes for clients around the world," said Slavi Samardzija, Global Chair of Media & Commerce at Stagwell.
"I've spent my career believing that the best agencies don't just respond to change, they help define what comes next. For too long, our industry has been shaped by legacy structures that don't always reflect what drives the best outcomes for clients. Assembly has a foundation of incredible talent, global scale and connected capabilities, and I'm energized by the opportunity to build on strengths and push them further - building around the needs of our clients' businesses, with their performance as the clearest measure of our own success and client growth as our organizing principle," shared Rutgersson.
Rutgersson succeeds Rick Acampora, former Global CEO of Assembly, who moved into a new role at the holding company focused on developing new commercial frameworks earlier in the year. Jill Kelly, former CEO of Assembly North America, will support the leadership transition to ensure continuity for clients, teams and partners.
The appointments come as Stagwell continues to build momentum globally and across APAC. The network recently strengthened its global media offering with the launches of The Media Machine and Stagwell Search+, opened a new APAC headquarters in Singapore, and expanded its capabilities, scale and client offering across the region through the integration of Assembly and ADK GLOBAL. The agency also received multiple honours at The Drum Marketing Awards APAC 2026, with winning work spanning China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore across categories including Arts & Culture, Brand Relaunch and Sports Marketing.
About Assembly
Assembly is a global omnichannel agency built for brands that want a more modern approach to building brands that perform. Backed by the Stagwell network, Assembly brings together data, talent, and technology to unlock smarter, faster, and better-performing outcomes. With over 3,000 experts across 40+ offices worldwide, Assembly delivers full-funnel solutions that help the world's most ambitious brands connect, engage, and grow across media, creative, commerce, and technology.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 45+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Contact
SOURCE: Assembly
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What experience does Liz Rutgersson bring to her new role at Assembly?
Liz Rutgersson has more than 20 years of marketing experience across brand building, strategy, digital media, analytics and search optimization. She spent 16 years at dentsu, most recently serving three years as CEO of iProspect North America, and has worked with global brands including Hilton, eBay, Salesforce, Ferrero, Dollar General and Tesco.
What is Connie Chan’s background and current remit within Stagwell?
Connie Chan has three decades of experience in media, marketing and business leadership. As Chief Growth Officer of Stagwell APAC, she has expanded Stagwell’s presence across key APAC markets, driving new business growth, strengthening regional client partnerships and advancing media and digital experience capabilities. She now also serves as CEO of Assembly APAC.
What happened to Assembly’s previous leaders, Rick Acampora and Jill Kelly?
Rick Acampora, former Global CEO of Assembly, moved earlier in the year into a new role at Stagwell focused on developing new commercial frameworks. Jill Kelly, former CEO of Assembly North America, will support the leadership transition to help maintain continuity for clients, teams and partners.
How is Stagwell expanding its media capabilities and presence in APAC?
Stagwell has launched The Media Machine and Stagwell Search+ to strengthen its global media offering, opened a new APAC headquarters in Singapore, and expanded regional capabilities, scale and client offerings through the integration of Assembly and ADK GLOBAL.
What type of agency is Assembly and what services does it provide?
Assembly is a global omnichannel agency focused on brands seeking a modern approach to building brands that perform. Backed by Stagwell, it combines data, talent and technology to deliver full-funnel solutions across media, creative, commerce and technology, helping brands connect, engage and grow.