Prior to founding Aegis Capital Group in 2003, Mr. Hickey was an investment banker with the Insurance and Asset Management division of Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. where he worked on significant capital raising transactions, corporate development projects and mergers and acquisitions, including, the $16.1 billion merger of The St. Paul Companies, Inc. and Travelers Property Casualty Corp., the $1.3 billion initial public offering for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantage Dividend Income Fund and other significant transactions.

Mr. Hickey graduated with distinction receiving a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University in Montreal, Canada with a major in Finance and Concentration in Accounting. He was on the Principal's Student-Athlete Academic Honour Roll where he played for the McGill Rugby team, was granted membership in the Golden Key International Honour Society and was on the Dean's Honour List for having a grade point average in the top 10% of the Management faculty.

Mr. Hickey maintains a significant relationship with the local community through his charitable endeavors. He is the Founder and President of Acorn Charities Group, where he received the 2008 Pathfinders to Peace Award, on the Board of Directors of McGill University's Alumni Association of New York, where he received the 2005 President of the Year Award, is the Director of Finance for Young Canadians in Finance, and on the Board of the Canadian Association of New York.

He is also a former Canadian champion and North American speed skating medalist in both short-track and long-track disciplines.