New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed Dean Fuleihan, a veteran budget official with more than four decades of government experience, as his first deputy mayor. The announcement, made on Monday, signals Mamdani's intention to combine institutional expertise with his ambitious progressive agenda.
Fuleihan, 74, previously served as budget director and deputy mayor under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, and spent years in budget and policy roles in the state legislature in Albany. His deep experience is expected to lend credibility to Mamdani's policy slate, which has been criticised as financially unrealistic by sceptics.
As first deputy mayor, Fuleihan will oversee the city's budget office and administrative departments. His familiarity with state government could prove crucial, as many of Mamdani's proposals—including free childcare, free buses, and city-run grocery stores—require approval from state lawmakers and the governor.
Mamdani also appointed Elle Bisgaard-Church, his top campaign adviser and chief of staff in the state Assembly, as his City Hall chief of staff. At a news conference, Mamdani pledged to 'create a new City Hall', balancing experienced leaders with fresh faces to transform the city's politics.
