NYC Appoints Antitrust Champion Lina Khan to Lead Economy

New York City is betting big on a more equitable economic future by appointing one of America's most prominent corporate watchdogs to guide its development strategy.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that Lina Khan, the former Federal Trade Commission chair known for taking on monopolies and big business, will lead the board of NYC's Economic Development Corporation. The agency controls billions in public resources and oversees landmark projects from Hudson Yards to the Cornell Tech campus.

Khan made her name fighting for working people and small businesses against corporate giants during her tenure at the FTC under President Biden. Now she'll apply that same philosophy to one of America's most powerful city development agencies.

The appointment comes seven months into Mamdani's historic term as New York's first democratic socialist mayor. He's already shaken up City Hall by creating a new deputy mayor position focused on economic justice rather than traditional economic development.

Khan will serve as unpaid board chair while Tony Shorris, a former deputy mayor and government veteran, takes over as EDC president handling daily operations. Mamdani called them the "economic wonks version of the 1992 Olympic basketball dream team."

The Ripple Effect

The EDC manages some of New York's most valuable public assets, including Hunts Point, the nation's largest food distribution center. Khan emphasized that these resources represent a massive opportunity to improve daily life for millions of New Yorkers.

"EDC has enormous capacity to make life materially better for New Yorkers, and to ensure that public resources are being used to build state capacity," she said at City Hall. The agency's decisions on land use, development deals, and public infrastructure ripple through every neighborhood in the five boroughs.

Business leaders have watched Mamdani's approach closely, wondering how a democratic socialist would balance growth with equity. The mayor's choices suggest he's serious about reshaping economic development to serve everyday New Yorkers first, not just corporate interests.

Khan already helped craft the administration's first 100 days as transition team chair, putting working families at the center of city policy. Her new role gives her direct influence over how billions in public dollars get invested in the city's future.

The move represents a fundamental rethinking of who economic development should serve and a powerful statement that public resources can build shared prosperity instead of just private wealth.