Zohran Mamdani Taps Lina Khan to Lead NYC Economic Development

Khan’s appointment represents a significant pivot for an agency frequently criticized for maintaining overly close ties to private business interests. During Wednesday's announcement, Mamdani framed the decision as a necessary fusion of economic development and social justice, dismissing the notion that such a pairing is radical. Khan herself emphasized that the EDC possesses the tools required to foster entrepreneurship and lower costs for residents, stating that public resources should be leveraged to build state capacity.

To balance the ideological weight of Khan’s appointment, Mamdani named Tony Shorris as the EDC's new president. Shorris, previously the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is viewed by local observers as a gesture toward the traditional business community. By uniting a vocal advocate for market competition with a veteran of institutional governance, the administration aims to reshape the EDC’s mandate while managing the practical complexities of the city’s economy.