Overview
- Mamdani announced the appointments Monday at a press conference, marking his first top staffing moves ahead of his Jan. 1 swearing-in.
- Fuleihan, a de Blasio-era first deputy mayor and former NYC budget director, brings decades of fiscal and management experience and will oversee city operations including the Department of Finance.
- He had already been advising the transition, according to prior reporting, and will help translate the mayor-elect’s affordability platform into implementable policy.
- Bisgaard-Church, Mamdani’s Assembly chief of staff and primary campaign manager, will serve as City Hall chief of staff after guiding several of his legislative priorities.
- The early hires signal a pragmatic approach as the incoming administration faces an agenda estimated at over $10 billion and a reported near $5 billion budget gap, with additional deputy mayor and commissioner selections expected in the coming weeks.