The New Mayor’s Power Brokers
In a few days, the youngest mayor in a century will have to figure out how to run the largest city in the U.S. and manage relationships with an erratic president and a governor skeptical of his most ambitious campaign promises. But Zohran Mamdani won’t be going it alone. In recent weeks, with the help of his transition team, he has appointed veteran federal heavyweights to his administration, including Joe Biden’s Labor secretary Julie Su as the newly created deputy mayor for economic justice and former FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection head Sam Levine as commissioner in charge of worker rights. His first deputy mayor, Dean Fuleihan, is a longtime municipal bureaucrat — often referred to as a “budget guru” for his decades of work negotiating expenditures with Albany — as is his incoming budget director, Sherif Soliman. And Mamdani has a whole bunch of other seasoned civil servants, activists, donors, connected friends, and, yes, celebrities working to advance his agenda. Here’s how the new mayor’s circle of power brokers breaks down by category.
Zohran Mamdani is relying on a handful of experienced fixers with deep knowledge about the overlapping worlds of politics, business, finance, and city bureaucracy.
Dean Fuleihan, first deputy mayor
Old-school New York politico who will manage the day-to-day operations of city government and work with Albany to push through Mamdani’s campaign promises.
Patrick Gaspard, volunteer adviser
Former David Dinkins campaign staffer, DNC executive director, and Obama aide who has helped broker meetings for Mamdani with Cardinal Dolan and President Trump.
Jessica Tisch, police commissioner
Billionaire heiress who oversaw Sanitation, then the NYPD under Mayor Adams; Mamdani’s decision to keep her on was an early olive branch to moderate Democrats. Family donated $1 million to Cuomo.
Robert Wolf, former CEO of UBS Americas
Fox News contributor and Obama Foundation board member who pitched Mamdani as a “progressive capitalist” to conservatives and executives; prepped Mamdani for Trump meeting.
Sally Susman, Pfizer executive VP
Democratic fundraiser who linked Mamdani with her fellow C-suiters after being impressed by how he handled hostile executives and because of his........





















Toi Staff
Sabine Sterk
Penny S. Tee
Gideon Levy
Waka Ikeda
Grant Arthur Gochin
Tarik Cyril Amar