Khan, a former FTC chair, will lead the Economic Development Board; Shorris takes over the city’s development corporation
Lina Khan, who chaired the Federal Trade Commission during the Biden administration, has been a close adviser to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and played an early role in reviewing candidates for the president position at the Economic Development Corporation, according to The Guardian.
Tony Shorris first joined New York City government in 1979, more than a decade before Mamdani was born, The Guardian reported. He currently serves as a partner at McKinsey & Co. and is now returning to public service to head the EDC.
Speaking at a Wednesday press conference, Shorris reflected on his first meeting with Mamdani in the fall of 2025, saying he was inspired by the mayor’s vision for New York and the “values that animated his campaign,” according to The Guardian.
The EDC is a non-profit that serves as the city’s official economic development agency. Its board is responsible for approving major projects and deals, including Hudson Yards, the High Line, the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island, and the city’s ferry system, The Guardian reported.
The appointments mark major changes at one of New York’s most influential agencies, which has faced criticism over the years for being too closely aligned with business interests, according to The Guardian.
Rather than appointing a deputy mayor for economic development, Mamdani had created the city’s first-ever deputy mayor for economic justice, a move that signaled a different approach to City Hall’s role in economic development, The Guardian reported.