Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has picked former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan to serve as co-chair of his transition team.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has picked former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan to serve as co-chair of his transition team — sparking concerns among New York City tech executives.
Khan — a 36-year-old Democrat who bought major cases against Meta and Amazon while running the FTC from 2021 to 2025 — surprised some onlookers on Wednesday as she appeared alongside Mamdani at his first post-election press conference.
“I think what we saw last night was New Yorkers not just electing a new mayor, but clearly rejecting a politics where outsize corporate power and money too often end up dictating our politics, and a clear mandate for change,” Khan said at the event, drawing cheers from the crowd.
When asked if she’s considering a full-time role within the Mamdani administration, a source close to Khan said she’s focused on her responsibilities with the transition team.
“Lina’s been announced as a co-chair of the mayor-elect’s transition team, where she will advise on economic policy and personnel,” said Doug Farrar, a spokesman for Khan.
