Armen is Head of the Consumer Financial Protection Division at California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). He was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2025 and unanimously confirmed by the California Senate.

Previously, he was a board member or advisor to fintech companies, banks, nonprofits, and consumer and small business advocacy organizations. He also co-founded the American Fintech Council and was a general partner at Millenia Capital.

Earlier at LendingClub, he was Head of Regulatory Strategy and Public Policy where he helped the company acquire a national bank, making it the first U.S. fintech lender to successfully do so. Previously, he was a Managing Director in PwC’s Financial Services Advisory Group, advising clients on regulatory change, risk and strategy after the global financial crisis.

He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, Harvard’s Kennedy School, and Fordham University summa cum laude in math.