Mamdani Forms Business Advisory Council to Mend Relationship with NYC Business Community
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is taking steps to mend his rocky relationship with the city's business community by launching a Business Advisory Council. The council, which includes 15 prominent business leaders, aims to provide guidance on economic policies and industries such as finance, technology, real estate, and healthcare.
The council members include Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya, Etsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal, and RXR chairman Scott Rechler. However, notable absentees from the list include top executives from JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, American Express, BlackRock, Facebook-parent Meta, and Google-parent Alphabet.
Mamdani's administration approached at least three other prominent business leaders who declined to join the council, including Bank of America's New York City president Jose Tavarez and private equity executive Charles Phillips. A spokesperson for Mamdani cited various reasons for their absence, including time commitments and media attention.
Some members have expressed concerns about the mayor's policies, with Scott Rechler stating that he had raised objections to Mamdani's rhetoric on Israel but believes it is essential to engage with leaders despite disagreements.