Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Lina Khan to Lead NYCEDC

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, as the board chair of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on July 22, 2026. Simultaneously, Mamdani named Anthony Shorris, a former deputy mayor and McKinsey & Co. partner, as the agency's president and CEO.

The leadership shift aims to move the nonprofit agency toward a democratic socialist direction, emphasizing economic justice and working-class needs over corporate interests. This new direction includes a plan to implement five city-run grocery stores, with one located in each of the five boroughs.

Khan stated that the EDC has the capacity to make life materially better for New Yorkers by ensuring public resources build state capacity. However, the appointments drew criticism from business leaders. Steve Fulop of the Partnership for New York City praised Shorris's experience but questioned Khan's appointment, citing her adversarial history with large enterprises at the federal level.