Andrew G. Simon Joins Helmsley Spear as Executive Vice President
The real estate veteran brings experience from prior positions at Murray Hill Properties, Colliers International and NAI Global.
NEW YORK CITY—Helmsley Spear has appointed Andrew G. Simon as EVP of the company, focusing on investment sales as well as commercial office leasing transactions.
“His extensive background and expertise in the real estate industry will be a valuable asset to our growing New York City team,” says Kent M. Swig, president of Helmsley Spear.
Simon brings over 35 years of real estate experience, initially as a leasing professional, and then transitioning to investment sales and capital markets. With deep relationships on the landlord side of the business, he has introduced off-shore institutional quality investors to local operators and developers to provide investment capital for repositioning of existing assets and to provide equity partners for new acquisitions and developments.
Prior to joining Helmsley Spear, Simon was an executive managing director at three other firms. He worked at Murray Hill Properties, starting in June 2015, Colliers International from December 2010 to May 2015, and NAI Global from 2007 to December 2010.
He has represented over 25 international banks as a tenant representation broker in space searches, and was part of the team that renewed Bristol Myers in a headquarters lease restructuring for 840,000 square feet at 345 Park Ave. As a landlord’s agent, Simon was the initial leasing agent for Tower 56 and 600 Lexington Ave. in the 1980s, and represented New York Life in their New York City real estate owned portfolio in the 1990s. More recently, Simon represented Korean institutional capital in a partial interest acquisition of 101 Avenue of the Americas. Helmsley Spear asserts this was the first such direct investment by a Korean institution in New York City.
Simon has closed leasing transactions in excess of 2.5 million square feet and investment sales of buildings in excess of one million square feet.
“Helmsley Spear is building a 21st century company with an esteemed reputation dating back over a century, and I am so pleased to be a part of the company’s future,” says Simon.