Munich, December 1, 2023 – As of immediate, the Advisory Board of AVANTGARDE will be led by Erika Darmstaedter as non-executive Chairperson. With the appointment of Erika to the Advisory Board, AVANTGARDE has been able to win one of the most experienced international leaders in the agency industry to support the leadership in achieving the ambitious growth goals of the global agency.
Erika Darmstaedter, who most recently served as the Global Chief Client Officer for the agency network FCB, has more than 22 years of experience in agency management and strategic consulting. Her passion lies particularly in working with agency teams and clients to deliver creative solutions for growth.
“I am very pleased that AVANTGARDE Group can now benefit from Erika Darmstaedter’s wealth of experience. In her various roles, she has not only shaped the global agency landscape but has also set standards in the field of strategic customer consulting with both economic and creative successes,” comments Dr. Marc Schumacher, CEO of AVANTGARDE Group. “With her deep understanding of the agency business and customer needs in a globalized world, Erika Darmstaedter will provide crucial growth impulses to the entire group.”
Erika Darmstaedter explains her new commitment: “I have been following the development of AVANTGARDE for a while and see tremendous potential in this fantastic agency brand with its deep roots in brand experience. As consumers looks for new and changing experiences, leveraging the best of physical and technology is key for lasting impressions. As a global Brand Experience agency, AVANTGARDE needs to stay one step ahead of these developments. I am excited to accompany this fascinating transformation and support the leadership team of the group with my expertise and passion for creative challenges.”
About Erika Darmstaedter
“Challenger with heart” – is how Erika Darmstaedter describes herself on her LinkedIn profile. The native Swiss, who has lived and worked on four continents and now calls Basel her home, began her agency career as an Account Director at Young & Rubicam in Switzerland. After transitioning to the CEO role at Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, Darmstaedter soon took on international leadership responsibilities, serving as Managing Director for the EMEA region and overseeing the establishment of the Shopper Marketing network Saatchi X in Europe. In her last agency role as Global Chief Client Officer, she was responsible for the worldwide client strategy for FCB and led the global client business for skincare specialist Beiersdorf for more than eight years. Additionally, she actively advocates for more diversity in business and served as the Chair of the Equal Salary Foundation. Today, Erika operates her own consulting firm, Collective63, as Co-CEO and founder, advising CEOs and their leadership teams on customer-centric business transformation. She also serves as a consultant on the boards of various tech startups and is a passionate sponsor for women-in-leadership.