On November 10th, Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York, announced the appointment of Dean Fuleihan, a former progressive administration official under Mayor Bill de Blasio, as his first deputy mayor.
Fuleihan brings over 40 years of political experience to this role, having served as the first deputy mayor and budget director under de Blasio from 2018 to 2021, overseeing a budget of over $100 billion. Prior to that, he worked as a policy advisor to former state assembly speaker Sheldon Silver for 16 years and served as the chief negotiator for the New York State Council’s budget of over $130 billion.
As the first deputy mayor, Fuleihan will serve as a key advisor to the mayor and oversee city affairs in the mayor’s absence, responsible for policy formulation, city management, and supervising departments such as the finance bureau.
In addition, Mamdani appointed Elle Bisgaard-Church, who previously managed his primary campaign, as his chief of staff. Bisgaard-Church also served as Mamdani’s chief of staff in the state assembly.
“The work of the government begins here, ensuring that our chosen leaders share a common goal: to serve the working people of New York City,” Mamdani stated in a statement received by this newspaper. “With Dean Fuleihan as the first deputy mayor and Elle Bisgaard-Church as chief of staff, I am confident that we will build a strong and efficient government team to create an economically affordable and livable city for the working people.”
“I have dedicated my life to serving the working people of New York City,” Fuleihan said. “I am honored to be part of constructing and realizing this new era of leadership vision and ensuring that City Hall utilizes all available resources to implement Zohran Mamdani’s affordable housing agenda.”
Recently, Mamdani announced the co-chairs of his transition team. In the coming weeks, he will gradually assemble his government team, from deputy mayors to agency commissioners of institutions such as the New York Police Department and the Fire Department, openly recruiting officials at all levels. The Mamdani administration is set to officially take office on January 1st next year.