Assembly and ADK Global merge to form Stagwell’s APAC powerhouse

Stagwell is merging Assembly with ADK Global, bringing together its media network with one of Asia’s most established creative players to create a full-service challenger agency across 12 APAC markets.

The merger brings together two powerhouse agencies, creating the largest challenger to the traditional holding company structure in Asia and follows Stagwell’s acquisition of ADK Global in January this year. The move combines Assembly’s global media, data and commerce capabilities with ADK Global’s deep creative and cultural footprint in Japan and Asia.

Speaking exclusively to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Richard Brosgill, CEO of Assembly Asia Pacific, said the merged entity is a decisive step forward in building something bigger, bolder and better for clients.

A bold step toward the future 

“Brands today aren’t looking for siloed media plans or disconnected creative," Brosgill said. "They need connected, omnichannel experiences that fuse performance with brand storytelling, strategy with speed, and global consistency with local relevance.” 

He added that the consumer market is evolving rapidly and audiences are craving deeper, more culturally resonant experiences - a demand the merged agency is uniquely positioned to meet. 

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“Assembly brings global scale, data intelligence and media expertise. ADK Global brings creative excellence and deep cultural insight across Asia. Together, we offer a complete, complementary solution, one that’s built to perform across the full funnel and attuned to the unique dynamics of each market,” Brosgill added. 

The merger also reflects a growing industry trend: brands seeking integrated partnerships capable of delivering consistent, high-impact experiences across all channels, he said. 

“Clients today expect their agency partners not only to execute campaigns but also to design ecosystems that influence behaviour, drive demand, and build brand equity across touchpoints,” he said. “That requires connected thinking across strategy, data, media, and creative, which is precisely what this merger enables us to deliver.” 

A milestone in Stagwell’s APAC expansion 

As part of the transition, ADK Global will operate under a new banner ADK Global Powered by Assembly to honor its heritage. Local leaders will remain at the helm, ensuring continuity in client relationships and delivery while gaining the support of a larger, integrated network.  

The move gives clients across APAC the ability to deliver results-driven, culturally attuned brand experiences through a single, integrated partner – powered by world-class creative, regional and local connected expertise to deliver true brand performance at scale.  

This marks a significant step in Stagwell’s APAC growth strategy as the challenger network expands its global footprint. With creative, media, commerce, and data now fully unified and AI-enabled under Assembly in the region, clients gain seamless access to integrated solutions built for measurable impact.  

Brosgill said ADK Global has evolved from a domestically rooted agency into a globally connected network, building on a strong Japanese legacy. “Its success overseas stems not only from helping Japanese brands expand but from building locally led teams with deep cultural and consumer understanding.”  

“This belief in market-native leadership is a defining strength, powering relevance, agility and results on the ground. Through this integration, we're celebrating and accelerating the rich Japanese heritage that defines ADK Global. Backed by a strategic alliance with ADK HQ and Stagwell, we're committed to preserving what makes ADK Global unique while enhancing what we can deliver for Japanese clients,” he added. 

This isn’t just the right time - it’s the necessary time. We're building something different: a more connected, more culturally fluent agency partner world famous for making brands perform.

How will this impact the APAC landscape?  

In a landscape where consolidation is often driven by scale or cost-cutting, this integration takes a different approach - it’s a bold, intentional move to build a future-forward agency, Brosgill said. 

We are a challenger agency, different by design to create depth and value by bringing together creative and media in a way that delivers truly connected brand experiences.

Assembly now operates across 12 markets - including Japan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia - with more than 800 experts in APAC, supported by a global team of some 3,000 specialists.  

Meanwhile, the agency’s proprietary experience engine, STAGE, empowers clients with predictive AI, advanced media planning, creative at scale, and digital commerce capabilities. 

“As the largest full-service challenger agency in Asia Pacific, we are uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of growth. We combine the scale and strategic insight needed to compete globally with the agility, local expertise and cultural relevance required to move quickly and adapt to client needs,” he said. 

This intentional design enables Assembly to unlock breakthrough ideas across industries, he added. “It's this balance of scale, flexibility and innovation that makes us the ideal partner for ambitious brands eager to grow, evolve and lead in a rapidly changing market.” 

Its client portfolio reflects the breadth and depth of its combined ambition, by building its reputation for making brands perform, delivering measurable impact for leading retail and hospitality brands, sectors where creating seamless, emotionally resonant consumer experiences is critical, he added. ADK Global, in contrast, brings deep category expertise in automotive, healthcare and FMCG - hyper-competitive industries that demand precision, data-driven insights and sharp storytelling to stand out. 

"By bringing these portfolios together, we're not simply expanding our reach; we're creating an ecosystem of shared expertise. The integration enables cross-vertical learning, where insights from one sector inform innovation in another," he said. "What we've learned in fast-paced, consumer-facing categories like retail and travel is helping sharpen strategies in healthcare and auto. And the creative rigour and technical depth developed in those regulated spaces are raising the bar across lifestyle-driven sectors."

Cutting through the clutter 

While numerous agencies have undergone mergers or acquisitions, what sets this merger apart is its clear vision and bold execution, said Brosgill. By bringing together ADK Global's cultural fluency and creative heritage with Assembly's media, data, and technology capabilities, the merger is now positioned to deliver truly connected brand experiences that modern consumers demand, he said. “This is not about consolidation for efficiency; it's a deliberate step forward to build depth, value and performance into every part of the brand journey.” 

“We are an agency of builders who believe the better the experience, the better the performance. We don’t see brand and performance as an either/or. For us, it’s always both. The +\ symbol in our logo, known as the ORAD, represents this mindset. It’s a mark of how we think, how we build and how we deliver results across the full funnel.” 

Speaking of the challenges the advertising industry is facing, Brosgill said one of them should be the fragmentation of channels, teams, data and the customer journey. “Brands are struggling to create cohesive experiences as audiences move fluidly across platforms. We are built to solve this. By uniting creative, media, data, tech and commerce under one roof, we help brands deliver truly connected, omnichannel experiences that meet consumers wherever they are.” 

This integration also bridges the growing gap between creativity and performance, he said. “Rather than treating brand storytelling and direct response as separate efforts, we combine them through integrated brand performance so that powerful creative ideas are amplified through data-driven strategies that deliver measurable business results.” 

“ADK Global joining forces with Assembly gives clients unparalleled access to creativity, brand performance and regional depth – all in one partner,” said Rick Acampora, global CEO of Assembly. He added: 

This isn’t just about scale. It’s about delivering smarter, more connected omni experiences to make brands perform amidst the region’s most complex marketing challenges.

“This isn’t just regional expansion - it’s a redefinition of what full-service, integrated marketing means in APAC,” Brosgill said. “We’re bringing together the best of both worlds: ADK Global’s creative heritage and cultural fluency with Assembly’s global scale and connected media expertise. We’re not just responding to market demand - we’re setting the pace of change.”   

“ADK Global has a proud legacy of creative leadership in Asia,” said Yasuyuki Katagi, former CEO of ADK Global and now chief integration officer for the combined agency.

“Now, with Assembly, we’re not just preserving that legacy - we’re elevating it. Our clients will continue receiving the same high-impact creative and content, now backed by deeper media expertise, tools and technology.” 

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