Assemble Expands to Tackle Executive 'Decision Distress' in the AI Era

TORONTO, ON – April 27, 2026 – In an age where executives are inundated with data but starved for actionable wisdom, peer intelligence company Assemble has announced a significant expansion aimed at combating a growing phenomenon known as 'decision distress.' The company is scaling up its communities, events, and content offerings, backed by a strengthened leadership team, to meet what it identifies as a critical need for trusted, real-time insights among senior leaders.

The move comes as Assemble reports a 38% year-over-year revenue increase for the first quarter of 2026, a figure that suggests its model is gaining substantial traction in a complex market.

The Crisis of Confidence in the C-Suite

For modern executives, the problem is no longer a lack of information, but a surplus of it. The deluge of data, analyst reports, and expert opinions, compounded by the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence, has created a paradox: more information is leading to less clarity. This 'decision distress'—the gap between the volume of available data and the actionable insight a leader can derive from it—is a recognized challenge across industries.

Leaders are facing a cognitive load crisis, where the sheer quantity of inputs leads to decision fatigue, paralysis, or a reliance on gut feelings over rigorous analysis. The rise of AI has only intensified this pressure, expanding the scope of decisions that must be made while simultaneously raising the stakes. As traditional sources of information become noisier and less reliable, many are seeking a different kind of signal.

This is the environment where peer-to-peer advisory models are flourishing. Long-established networks have demonstrated that structured, confidential forums where leaders can share challenges and solutions with non-competing counterparts can drive significant business growth and combat the isolation often felt at the top. The demand is for market-tested wisdom, not just more data.

A Bet on Peer Intelligence

Assemble is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift, framing its services as "peer intelligence." The company convenes leaders from over 1,600 organizations, including some of the world's largest, in professionally facilitated communities and industry-specific summits. The goal is to provide a platform for sharing what's actually working in the real world, away from theoretical models and sales pitches.

"The era of peer intelligence is here," said Aaron Kissel, CEO of Assemble, in a statement accompanying the announcement. "Leaders are navigating a business environment where traditional sources are no longer sufficient, and where the wisdom of experienced peers has become one of the most valuable inputs available. Everything we are building at Assemble is designed to make that intelligence more accessible, more trusted, and more actionable. We are growing because the need is growing."

This growth is now being formalized through a multi-pronged expansion. The company has launched three new executive communities—the AEO Board, the Manufacturing Board, and the Learning & Development Board—to bring its model to new corporate functions.

Scaling Summits and AI-Enabled Content

The company’s event portfolio has also expanded dramatically. In response to what it calls growing demand, Assemble has launched a slate of new conferences, including the North American Procurement Executive Summit (NAPES), the North American Finance Executive Summit (NAFES), and the North American Marketing Leadership Summit (NAMLS), among others. It also added a second annual edition of its popular North American HR Executive Summit (NAHRES).

Perhaps most indicative of its forward-looking strategy is Assemble's investment in innovative, AI-enabled content. The company is developing tools for benchmarking, best practices, and buying guidance that leverage artificial intelligence to augment the insights shared by its human network. This hybrid approach aims to blend the irreplaceable value of human experience with the analytical power of technology, delivering curated intelligence that is both deeply credible and highly efficient for time-poor executives.

A Leadership Team Built for Growth

Supporting this ambitious expansion is a newly fortified leadership team with deep experience in the advisory and information services sector. The appointments signal a clear intention to scale the business with discipline and strategic foresight.

Pete Buer joins as Chief Content Officer, bringing nearly three decades of experience from CEB, the influential research and advisory firm now owned by Gartner. At CEB, Buer held multiple C-level roles and was instrumental in launching and running its Sales and Marketing practice. His role at Assemble will be to unify the content strategy across its communities and events, ensuring a cohesive and high-value experience for members.

Joyce Liu has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. Her background includes senior finance roles at both CEB/Gartner and Politico, where she guided fast-growing organizations through complex financial landscapes. With extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, Liu is tasked with accelerating Assemble's membership growth and building the financial infrastructure required for a larger, more diversified business.

Rounding out the strategic team is Katrina Tofflemire, who has been promoted to Chief Product & Strategy Officer. Tofflemire's background is in technology and operations, and she played a key role in developing the platform at Board.org prior to its merger with Executive Platforms to form Assemble. Her new role makes her responsible for integrating product strategy and execution across the company’s entire offering, from its in-person summits to the digital systems that underpin the member experience.

With this combination of targeted expansion, technological innovation, and seasoned leadership, Assemble is making a calculated move to institutionalize peer-to-peer insight as a core component of the modern executive toolkit. The company is betting that in an era of unprecedented complexity, the most valuable resource isn't more data, but the trusted wisdom of those who have successfully navigated similar challenges.