Who Is Lina Khan? Pakistani-Origin Big Tech Critic Named Co-Chair Of Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Transition Team

Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City, has announced an all-female transition team in his first press briefing after a historic victory. Mamdani, who defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, is set to take office on January 1, 2026. He becomes the first Indian-origin, African-born Muslim to hold the city’s top post.

Zohran Mamdani Names Women Leaders to Drive Transition

Mamdani’s transition team will be led by women who have previously served in the administrations of former New York mayors Bill de Blasio, Eric Adams, and Michael Bloomberg.

Progressive political strategist Elana Leopold has been appointed as the transition’s executive director. Maria Torres-Springer, former first deputy mayor; Lina Khan, ex-Federal Trade Commission chair; Grace Bonilla, a nonprofit leader; and Melanie Hartzog, a city budget expert, will serve as co-chairs.

Speaking at the first post-election press briefing, Mamdani said, “We will build a City Hall capable of delivering on the promises we made during our campaign. Leaders overseeing our agenda will be announced in the coming days.”

Also Read: After The Win, The Fight Begins: Zohran Mamdani Sets Out To Govern Under Donald Trump’s Shadow

Lina Khan: The Big Tech Critic Joins Zohran Mamdani’s Team

Among the transition co-chairs, Lina Khan drew significant attention. The Pakistani-origin, UK-born Democrat, who served as chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2021 to 2025, is widely recognized as a prominent critic of Big Tech.

During her tenure at the FTC, Khan initiated cases against Meta and Amazon, blocked a merger attempt between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, and implemented a ban on non-compete agreements for employees switching jobs, which was later overturned in court. She also unsuccessfully challenged Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard.

Khan first rose to prominence with her Yale Law School paper “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox”, where she argued that Amazon used predatory pricing and avoided government scrutiny because consumer harm was not immediately apparent.

At the transition team event, Khan spoke about the election results, “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.”

Role in Zohran Mamdani’s Administration

While Khan’s current role on the transition team focuses on economic policy and personnel decisions, her permanent role in Mamdani’s administration remains unclear.

Although her responsibilities may not directly involve Big Tech, companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon, which have a significant presence in New York, may perceive Mamdani’s collaboration with Khan as a symbolic warning. Eric Soufer, head of the advanced tech practice at Tusk Strategies, told the New York Post, that some large firms could interpret this partnership as a “shot across the bow.”

Also Read: Meet Maya Handa, The Mastermind Behind Zohran Mamdani’s Historic NYC Mayoral Victory