Hi. I’m Andy.
Working alongside some of the best there is, I have spent a lot of time practicing to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I’ve gone from teaching myself to code (barely) as the internet was taking off to leading incredibly talented creative teams for some of the most innovative, compelling, and complex brands in the world. My work is regularly recognized by top industry awards but it only happens by surrounding myself with a true variety of inspiring partners. Learning from and lifting up others to success is the real reward because people are the best part.
My career began literally on Madison Avenue, cutting my teeth (what a viscerally weird and wonderful saying) at both DDB and Tribal Worldwide where I led Art Direction on lead accounts like Subaru, Pepsi, Jose Cuervo, Johnson & Johnson, and Gibson Guitars. There I learned hands-on craft, storytelling, and the creative process in a rapidly evolving industry. I then swapped skyscrapers for raw lofts and garages, creating iconic work at different sized independent shops that were in their own way blowing up (and getting bought up) – 72andSunny, LBi, and FakeLove. Each was a rocket ship ride of growth and proof that industry leading creativity is a business advantage. From these I learned about the power of independent thought, building from the ground up, and importance of executional excellence (both when silly or sincere). I then became a formative member of the team at Meta (then Facebook) that grew the in-house creative department Creative X to hundreds of the world’s most talented creatives, producers, and managers servicing Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reality Labs. From this I learned about business at every scale, mentorship as a practice, and leadership by building up others. Most recently, I led Brand Creative at Circle, reimagining the future of money. I worked directly with incredibly smart Senior Leadership, Marketers, and Engineers to build the brand of Circle and bring cutting edge products to market. This resulted in Circle being named a Most Innovative Company of the Year by TIME and Fast Company while experiencing hyper-growth and achieving one of the most successful IPOs on the NYSE of all time. I remain as relentlessly curious about the next big thing as ever.
Oh and it's a little tricky at first but it's pronounced He•kE•mE•an. As a second generation French-Armenian from the suburbs of Baltimore, I am heavily influenced by Bad Brains, American League East, and Old Bay seasoning. Now I’m helping raise two powerful girls and several struggling houseplants in Los Angeles. Let’s grab a coffee, I know a great spot.
