Stagwell Appoints New CEOs for Assembly Global and APAC

Stagwell, the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI, has bolstered its Assembly leadership with two key CEO appointments. Liz Rutgersson has been named 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 phase.

Connie Chan has been elevated to the role of CEO of Assembly APAC, while continuing in her position as Chief Growth Officer of Stagwell APAC. Together, these leaders will drive the next phase of growth for Assembly.

Rutgersson brings over two decades 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, with three decades of experience across media, marketing, and business leadership, has helped expand Stagwell's presence across key APAC markets. Since taking on the Chief Growth Officer role, she has driven new business growth, strengthened regional client partnerships, and advanced 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."

Rutgersson shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity to build on Assembly's strengths and push them further. "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 these 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."

Rick Acampora, former Global CEO of Assembly, has moved into a new role at the holding company focused on developing new commercial frameworks. Jill Kelly, former CEO of Assembly North America, will support the leadership transition to ensure continuity for clients, teams, and partners.

These 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.

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.