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Mamdani to appoint antitrust crusader Lina Khan as chair of NYC economic development agency
Gothamist • • business
Key Points:
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to announce Lina Khan, a progressive antitrust regulator and former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, as chair of New York City’s Economic Development Board (EDC).
- Khan’s appointment signals a shift for the EDC, which has faced criticism for being too aligned with business interests; the board oversees major city projects like Hudson Yards and the High Line.
- Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has restructured City Hall’s approach to economic development by creating a deputy mayor for economic justice instead of a traditional economic development deputy mayor.
- At the same event, Mamdani is expected to name Anthony Shorris, former first deputy mayor under Bill de Blasio and ex-McKinsey partner, as EDC president, a move seen as a gesture to the business community.
- The mayor appoints most EDC board members, with the president managing daily operations and the board guiding the agency’s strategic direction; Khan has been a close advisor to Mamdani and involved in vetting EDC leadership candidates.
