# Assembly gets a new CEO for its next act

> Liz Rutgersson takes over Stagwell's Assembly with a mandate to build what leadership keeps calling an agency for the future.
- Title: Assembly gets a new CEO for its next act · Adweek | Shortify
- Summary: Liz Rutgersson takes over Stagwell's Assembly with a mandate to build what leadership keeps calling an agency for the future. Rutgersson picked Assembly…
- Keywords: advertising, agencies, stagwell, leadership, media, Assembly, gets, CEO, next, act, Adweek
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/agencies/liz-rutgersson-named-ceo-of-stagwells-assembly-to-build-agency-for-the-future
- Author: Christopher Cicchiello
- Published: 2026-09-14T12:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: advertising, agencies, stagwell, leadership, media
## Assembly names a new CEO
Stagwell-owned Assembly has appointed Liz Rutgersson as chief executive, with a remit covering both the global business and North America.
## She starts Monday
There is no long runway here. Rutgersson steps into the role at the start of the week.
## Three jobs on day one
Her brief is specific: drive growth, strengthen client partnerships, and build relationships that last beyond a single campaign cycle.
## APAC gets its own leader
Assembly named Connie Chan as CEO for the APAC region in the same announcement, splitting regional leadership from the global role.
## An agency for the future
In early talks with Stagwell CEO Mark Penn and his leadership team, Rutgersson found they already shared the same ambition for what Assembly should become.

> agency for the future
## She had other options
Rutgersson talked to several agencies before choosing this one. The decision was a comparison, not a default.
## Nimble plus big
What won her over was the mix: Assembly moves quickly, but it sits inside Stagwell, so it can reach for holding-company scale when a client needs it.
## The bet behind the hire
Stagwell is wagering that speed and scale together beat either one alone, and Rutgersson is the person hired to prove it.
## Key takeaway

Rutgersson picked Assembly because it offers startup speed with holding-company scale, and her job is to turn that combination into growth.