Change is an inherent part of progress, and today, we stand at the precipice of a new era as we proudly announce the arrival of our new Chief Executive Officer. With a shared sense of anticipation and excitement, we wholeheartedly welcome Daniele Grassi, an inspiring trailblazer with an exceptional track record and a passion for innovation.
Students, alumni, partners, and friends of General Assembly,
I couldn’t be more excited to join you as General Assembly’s new CEO. The opportunity to lead an organization that empowers people to pursue work they love and supports them in starting and progressing in their careers is a privilege beyond measure.
This is a special company. I have known the brand for years (who hasn’t?), and I have followed with admiration its impact since its inception. Now I get to see it from the inside. With each and every interaction I have had with the team, I have felt the passion to drive positive change, as well as the commitment to our community of strivers, clients, and colleagues.
Under the leadership of Co-Founder Jake Schwartz and then Lisa Lewin, General Assembly has built an incredible community of talented, innovative people. Our learners and alumni across the globe, more than 80,000 strong, are shaping the future of work at the world’s largest and most influential companies. Our work with business leaders is revolutionizing the way that corporations build and retain talent. Our partnerships with state and local leaders across the U.S. have redefined how policymakers and community-based organizations come together to drive economic growth.
I’m thrilled to join an organization that already has so much to be proud of.
And I also recognize how much further there is to go. For all our efforts, we still live in a world where talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. Too many people still aren’t able to access jobs where they could grow and succeed — while at the same time, too many businesses continue to report that they can’t find the skilled workers they need.
As the problem widens, we need to find new solutions. General Assembly’s new programs, from apprenticeships to recruit-train-deploy solutions, are already showing promise and will continue to grow. Our work with state and local government leaders and community-based organizations will expand as the country continues to adapt to an increasingly technology-dependent labor market. We’ll continue to build new programs and curricula to respond to the rise of AI, not to mention new technological advancements that are sure to come, but that we can’t even imagine yet.
GA’s mission is very personal to me. I grew up in a small town in the south of Italy where I was exposed to an excellent education and opportunities abroad, that led to career pivots and new industries, all because at each step I was fortunate enough to find a mentor to show me what the next opportunity could be. I’m so grateful to have benefited from that community and the experiences that led me to where I am today. Too many people are still locked out of opportunities for economic mobility because they don’t have the good fortune that I did. General Assembly has a critical role to play in fixing those broken connections between talented people and a world of work that needs them.
We have a lot of work to do in the months and years to come. I’m confident that all this is possible because I’ve already seen how strong the General Assembly community is. Together, we’re a testament to something I experienced at the very beginning of my own career journey: that partnership and collaboration are the most powerful engines of creativity, mobility, and opportunity. I can’t wait to meet and learn from you all in the months and years to come.
My very best,
Daniele Grassi