Stagwell names new global CEO of Assembly, Connie Chan to lead APAC

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Stagwell has appointed Liz Rutgersson (pictured left) as CEO of Assembly, overseeing the agency globally and in North America, while Connie Chan (pictured right) has been elevated to CEO of Assembly APAC.

The appointments take effect 14 September, with Rutgersson reporting to Slavi Samardzija, global chair of media and commerce at Stagwell. Chan will also continue in her role as chief growth officer of Stagwell APAC.

Rutgersson joins Assembly after 16 years at dentsu, where she most recently served as CEO of iProspect North America for three years. She brings more than 20 years of experience across brand building, strategy, digital media, analytics and search optimisation, and has worked with brands including Hilton, eBay, Salesforce, Ferrero, Dollar General and Tesco.

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In her new role, Rutgersson will focus on driving Assembly’s growth, strengthening client partnerships and leading the agency into its next phase.

“I’ve spent my career believing that the best agencies don’t just respond to change, they help define what comes next,” Rutgersson said.

She added that Assembly has “incredible talent, global scale and connected capabilities”, and that she plans to build around clients’ business needs, with performance and client growth as key measures.

Meanwhile, Chan takes on the CEO remit for Assembly APAC alongside her regional Stagwell role. She has three decades of experience across media, marketing and business leadership, and has been responsible for expanding Stagwell’s presence across key APAC markets since becoming chief growth officer.

Speaking exclusively to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Chan said one of her priorities will be helping clients navigate the rapid transformation of marketing, particularly as AI and technology reshape how businesses operate.

“As I step into this role, a key priority is helping clients navigate the rapid transformation of marketing. AI and technology are creating new opportunities for scale and efficiency, but competitive advantage will come from how organisations combine those capabilities with human creativity and strategic thinking,” Chan said.

“The future belongs to businesses that use technology to amplify great ideas, not replace them.”

Chan’s work at Stagwell has included driving new business growth, strengthening regional client partnerships and advancing the network’s media and digital experience capabilities.

“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,” said Samardzija.

He added that the appointments strengthen Assembly’s leadership and support Stagwell’s ambition to build a more modern and agile agency focused on business outcomes.

Rutgersson succeeds Rick Acampora, former global CEO of Assembly, who moved into a holding company role focused on developing new commercial frameworks earlier this year. Jill Kelly, former CEO of Assembly North America, will support the leadership transition.

The appointments come as Stagwell continues to expand its media offering globally and in APAC. The network recently launched The Media Machine and Stagwell Search+, opened a new APAC headquarters in Singapore, and expanded its regional capabilities through the integration of Assembly and ADK GLOBAL.