Jung von Matt’s Dörte Spengler-Ahrens appointed ADCE President
The Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) has appointed Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, Chairwoman of Jung von Matt, as its new President, opening a new chapter for the European creative organization at a moment of significant transformation.
Her appointment coincides with the 35th anniversary of the ADCE Awards, and introduction of a renewed awards structure designed to broaden participation and better reflect the diversity of Europe’s creative landscape.
One of Germany’s most awarded creative leaders, Spengler-Ahrens brings decades of experience in building internationally recognized creative work, agencies, and talent to ADCE. Her presidency reflects ADCE’s ambition to strengthen its position as Europe’s leading platform for creative excellence, while opening the organization to a broader and more representative creative community.
“My wish is that the ADCE will become the most renowned, recognized and relevant award in Europe,“ said Spengler-Ahrens. “I will do everything in my power to achieve and maintain that status.“
Her presidency marks the beginning of a new phase for ADCE, focused on strengthening collaboration across Europe’s creative community and reinforcing the organization’s role as the continent’s leading benchmark for creative excellence.
Under her leadership, ADCE aims to further establish itself as Europe’s most renowned, relevant, and representative creative award — the “ADC of the ADCs” — while continuing to champion the diversity and collective strength of European creativity.
Throughout her career, Spengler-Ahrens has consistently championed diversity, equality, and women’s empowerment. She became the first female President of ADC Germany, where she helped transform the organization through a stronger focus on inclusion and representation under the vision of “Change the world with creativity.”
“Women in creative leadership roles are still dramatically underrepresented in our industry,” she said. “The ADCE is an exception. It meets a 50-50 quota without exception, and had its first female president as early as 2000. I have also been a strong supporter of women at ADC Germany, and would like to carry this forward at the European level.”
Aligned with the values behind the ADCE manifesto, her presidency aims to further highlight the importance of increasing the visibility and leadership of women within the creative industries. While progress has been made in recent years, women remain underrepresented in many leadership positions across the sector.
As one of the most influential female creative leaders in Europe, Spengler-Ahrens represents a new generation of leadership for ADCE, one that encourages more women to take space, lead conversations, and shape the future of European creativity.
“The One Club has a long, successful relationship with Dörte, as she has served on a number of juries for The One Show, global ADC Awards, and Next Creative Leaders competitions,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club for Creativity, which ADCE became part of in 2023. “Under her extraordinary creative leadership, Jung von Matt has also won numerous Pencils and Cubes in those shows. We welcome Dörte into this exciting new role at ADCE, and are confident the organization — and the industry — will benefit greatly from her vision, dedication, and innovative thinking.”
ADCE recently introduced a renewed eligibility system for its awards program. Previously open only to winners and shortlisted works from ADCE member club competitions, the awards are now accessible to all entrants participating in competitions organized by ADCE’s 25 member clubs, as well as selected eligible competitions run by non-member organizations across Europe.
This evolution marks an important step toward a more inclusive and representative competition model. Because it is truly European, it creates greater opportunities for independent creatives, emerging talent, and smaller markets, while better reflecting the diversity of cultures, perspectives, and creative voices that shape Europe today.
Dörte Spengler-Ahrens studied Visual Communication and began her career as an art director before moving into copywriting. After working at several agencies, she joined Jung von Matt, where she became the agency’s first female creative director after only three years.
In 2000, she founded MARIA, Germany’s first women-led agency. In 2002, she returned to Jung von Matt as Partner and co-founded Jung von Matt/Spree, the group’s first Berlin agency.
Over the following years, she launched several successful companies within the Jung von Matt network, including Jung von Matt/9, Jung von Matt/Pulse, Jung von Matt/Fleet, Jung von Matt/Elbe, and Jung von Matt/SAGA. Throughout her career, she has worked for major international brands including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Sixt, NIVEA, Zalando, and BVG.
Her creative leadership and award-winning campaigns have made her one of Germany’s most recognized figures in advertising and communication, helping shape the identity and reputation of Jung von Matt over the past two decades.
Her achievements have been recognized with numerous distinctions, including “Germany’s Agency Person of the Year” at the Horizont Awards in 2018, the “Braveheart” award at the Best Agency Awards in 2023, and the prestigious LIA Legend Award in 2025.
Spengler-Ahrens has won multiple Grand Prix and international awards throughout her career. Under her leadership, Jung von Matt was recognized among the world’s leading independent agencies at The One Show, Cannes Lions, LIA, the New York Festivals, and other major international competitions.
For more than two decades, Spengler-Ahrens has represented the German creative industry in major international award shows, serving as jury president, festival president, and juror for competitions including The One Show, global ADC Awards, ADCE, Cannes Lions, LIA, Clio Awards, and Eurobest. She also serves on the advisory boards of D&AD and the New York Festivals.
In 2024, she was appointed Non-Executive Chairwoman of the Jung von Matt Group, another first in the company’s history.