Stagwell Appoints Lena Petersen as Chief Brand Officer

Stagwell has appointed Lena Petersen as its chief brand and communications officer, effective April 9, 2026. Petersen joins from Sugar23, a multimedia production and talent management company, where she served as chief strategy and marketing officer.

Petersen Brings 30 Years of Cross-Sector Experience

Petersen's career spans more than 30 years across agency, media, and entertainment. She began at Leo Burnett in May 1996 as VP of corporate communications, later rising to EVP of global product and partnership at Starcom MediaVest Groupe within Publicis. She then spent more than eight years at MediaLink/UTA as chief brand officer and managing director before joining Sugar23 in August 2024.

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She reports directly to CEO Mark Penn. Penn said Petersen "brings a powerful blend of strategic insight and storytelling expertise" and will be "instrumental in sharpening our brand."

Petersen said she found the right combination of factors at Stagwell. "All of the pieces that I wanted to see come together, I found [at Stagwell]," she told Campaign.

Her mandate includes positioning Stagwell at the forefront of AI-driven marketing innovation. She has described herself as "the tech geek" while also emphasizing that the industry has recently overlooked "the creative component" while focusing on technology.

Appointment Tied to Stagwell's Aggressive Growth Plan

The hire is part of a broader executive restructuring at Stagwell tied to its "5x5 plan," which targets US$5 billion in revenue within five years and US$80 to 100 million in AI-led cost savings.

Other recent appointments include Ryan Greene as CFO, Jason Reid as chief strategy officer, and Niels Laurberg as chief investment officer. Stagwell's Marketing Cloud grew 45% in 2025, and the company reported 8% net revenue growth guidance for the same year.

Petersen's internal platform includes Stagwell's PR portfolio of Allison Worldwide, Hunter, and SKDK, as well as unified media and commerce operations generating US$600 million in net revenue under Slavi Samardzija.

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Petersen replaces Beth Sidhu, who transitioned to CEO of Sport Beach, a marketing platform connecting athletes, agencies, and sports marketers. Sport Beach ran as Stagwell's activation at the Cannes Lions festival for three years before becoming an independent company in January 2026.

Zac Moffatt was also promoted to global chair, communications and advocacy, in Stagwell's 2025 restructuring, creating a layered communications leadership structure at the holding company level.

Competitive Context: Publicis Pulls Back on Acquisitions

The appointment comes as Publicis Groupe signals a pause on large-scale agency acquisitions. CEO Arthur Sadoun has indicated no material deals before the end of 2026. In Asia-Pacific, Publicis Group ANZ CEO Michael Rebelo stated that acquiring traditional creative and media agencies is no longer a strategic priority.

Stagwell, which operates across 45 countries and describes itself as a challenger holding company, is positioning this leadership hire as part of its effort to convert that competitive gap into market share gains.

Petersen is expected to begin shaping Stagwell's brand communications strategy immediately, with the company's next major public platform being the Cannes Lions festival later this year.