Jeanny Pak, the finance chief who has been serving as interim president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, has quietly moved into pole position as a top contender to lead the agency full-time. The mayor’s choice will determine how the city deploys public assets and turns Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s economic justice priorities into on-the-ground deals, with several high-profile projects on deck that could reshape neighborhoods in all five boroughs.
The emergence of Pak as a leading candidate was first reported by Crain's New York Business, which says she is among those being considered for the permanent role. The outlet reports that City Hall is still vetting contenders as the administration narrows its shortlist.
On its staff page, NYCEDC lists Pak as Interim President & CEO and notes that she previously served as the agency’s chief financial officer following a long career in public finance investment banking. The agency says Pak has been handling day-to-day operations while the mayor’s office completes its search.
Local coverage indicates that the hunt for a permanent leader has stretched into the mayor’s early months in office, with Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su steering the process and business groups publicly urging City Hall to pick up the pace. As reported by City & State, interviews have reportedly included leaders from the Brooklyn Navy Yard and state economic development offices, and stakeholders warn that too much uncertainty at the top can slow projects that rely on clear direction.
What Pak Has Done As Interim
In the interim role, Pak has become the public face of several of Mayor Mamdani’s early economic development moves, including a $4 million request for proposals to deploy modular public restrooms across the city. In announcing that program, NYCEDC quoted Pak as saying, “These modular public restrooms will serve as a blueprint for high-quality, cost-effective infrastructure that improves quality of life for millions of New Yorkers.” The agency led the restroom RFP rollout in February while also advancing other administration priorities.
Why the Hire Matters
The president of NYCEDC runs one of New York’s most influential development engines, guiding public private partnerships, managing city-owned properties and overseeing infrastructure projects that can redefine entire districts. Historic efforts tied to the agency’s work include the High Line, Yankee Stadium and the city ferry system, examples that show how much of the city’s built environment flows through its dealmaking machinery. Wikipedia and public records track many of those long-running projects and the agency’s evolving role.
City Hall has not set a public timeline for making the hire, and the final decision rests with the mayor. City & State reports that Deputy Mayor Su has been closely involved in the search, and Pak told Council members that “the president is the mayor’s decision.” For now, the process is expected to continue mostly out of public view in the coming weeks as the administration weighs résumés against the policy direction it wants NYCEDC to carry out.
