A&G

Andrew Graff

CEO

Underdog

If you want to fire Andrew up to do something, tell him he can’t. He’s created the A&G approach by breaking norms, and he’s most comfortable as David in Goliath Land (with one helluva slingshot). Impatient for new, he surrounds himself with people who don’t settle. The harder you push him on an unusual approach, the more he trusts you. Why just win when you can win big?

Andrew has “status quo disruptor” on his email signature, and the question is almost “what convention has he not reimagined?” He’s stayed fresh as a decades-long CEO by constantly reenvisioning what an agency can be, always leaning into the & - an approach he learned from improv to “never let an idea stop short.” 

Here’s a shortlist…

Andrew has re-envisioned creative as the starting point (not research) so ideas begin with cultural relevance that storytellers can feel. He’s brought PR into the forefront of the creative process and integrated full-fledged creator relations. And he’s giving marketers a new level of integrated systems to unify brand relationships, through a standalone customer-experience company called CeCo Digital – recognizing that brand is how you show up, not just what you say. 

He’s re-envisioned talent by valuing potential over resume (e.g., strategist Nina Rosello was a social worker) and promoting 5-to-9 side hustles for employees (e.g.,  facilities manager Mike Boston’s Mobile Stu recording business- find the link included in Media URLs). 

He’s vocal in advocating for overlooked audiences, including the 50+ demographic. Through speaking engagements and thought leadership, Andrew is reshaping how the industry thinks about aging and influence. Because, as he puts it, “You can’t earn a share of someone’s life if you don’t understand it.”

And he is modeling the future of work. As the pandemic reshaped where and how people work, Andrew posited that if we change how we use space with intention, we change how ideas come to life — and who gets to bring them forward. So, A&G reimagined the workplace as Third Space, replaced desks with bookable spaces (e.g., Bodega, Ferry, Hookah Lounge), opened it up to outside creators and collaborators, and created an ecosystem where talent is fluid, energy is contagious, and creativity has no walls. Often, collaborators become clients — proof that the future of work isn’t just about where we work, but how we work together.

Andrew has pushed back against legacy compensation models that reduce strategic, creative work to hourly billing. Under his leadership, A&G has abolished timesheets and hourly rates — instead pioneering compensation models that better reflect value creation and deeper client partnerships. And as a longtime member of the 4A’s Executive Board (currently serving as Treasurer/Secretary), Andrew has lobbied for more fitting, representative compensation models. He was instrumental in the new 4A’s report on compensation models and the transparency trap, which shows the majority of search consultants agree that the hourly billing model devalues advertising.  

One of Andrew’s favorite proverbs is, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” He’s all about togetherness and collaboration. Many CEOs don’t even know the first names of half their employees. Andrew will leave you a birthday message on Facebook, spend the first part of a 1:1 asking about your parents, and come over to the Third Space on a Sunday afternoon to spend an hour getting to know your partner. It gives us all the confidence to show up as our full selves and take more risks.

on