Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced three appointments and one nomination to key City agencies and offices. Mayor Mamdani appointed Erich Bilal as Executive Director of the Public Design Commission (PDC), Asim Rehman as Commissioner and Chair of the Business Integrity Commission (BIC) and Ahmer Qadeer as Director and Chief Pension Administrator of the Mayor's Office of Pensions and Investments (MOPI). He also nominated Lisa Kersavage to serve as Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
"These leaders are proof that there is no one way to serve New Yorkers. They have practiced law, spearheaded major public projects and fought tirelessly to make our city fairer and more affordable. Each brings a deep commitment to public service," said Mayor Mamdani. "I am proud to welcome them into our administration, where they will help lead our city with the excellence, accountability and integrity New Yorkers deserve."
Lisa Kersavage
Mayor Mamdani nominated Lisa Kersavage as Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). Kersavage, currently LPC's Executive Director, would bring more than two decades of experience in historic preservation and urban planning to the role. She has led efforts to protect and preserve architecturally, historically and culturally significant sites across New York City and to advance equity in landmark designations. Her work has also focused on improving agency performance and reducing a decades-old backlog of properties that had been heard but not designated as landmarks.
Before joining LPC, Kersavage worked at nonprofit organizations including the Van Alen Institute, the Municipal Art Society of New York, the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation and Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts.
LPC is the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation. Since its creation in 1965, the Commission has designated more than 38,000 buildings and sites, including more than 1,400 individual landmarks and 159 historic districts across the five boroughs. The LPC Chair's nomination is subject to the City Council's advice and consent confirmation power.
"It is an honor to join the Mamdani administration and work to advance the mayor's agenda to make government work for all New Yorkers at LPC. I look forward to working with Deputy Mayor Bozorg, LPC's commissioners, the agency's dedicated staff, and communities across New York City to ensure that as we advance LPC's mission to protect and preserve New York City's significant places we do so equitably and efficiently, while also advancing citywide goals. I look forward to working with City Council on their advice and consent process," said Lisa Kersavage, LPC Chair Nominee.
Erich Bilal
Erich Bilal will serve as Executive Director of the Public Design Commission (PDC). He joins from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC), where he worked on housing, infrastructure and public realm projects aimed at improving the quality of life for New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Bilal served as Vice President for Neighborhood Strategies at NYC EDC, overseeing community engagement, planning and project delivery to support neighborhoods in all five boroughs. He also served as Governing Board Member for the New York City Neighborhood Capital Corporation.
The PDC, New York City's design review agency, is responsible for structures, landscape architecture and art on or over City-owned property. The Commission is an independent, 11-member body that reviews and approves submissions from City agencies and private applicants. As Executive Director, Bilal will guide the PDC's work and public meetings, and guide City agencies through public review to deliver vibrant, sustainable and accessible public spaces and buildings.
"I am deeply honored to join Mayor Mamdani's administration as the executive director of the Public Design Commission. Design excellence is not a luxury; it is an essential tool for inspiration, equity, and restorative justice that ensures our public land is meeting the public's needs," said Erich Bilal, Executive Director, Public Design Commission. "I am looking forward to working alongside the Commissioners, the talented staff, our agency partners, and communities across the city to promote novel design approaches, while building a public realm that reflects the pride and dignity of New Yorkers."
Asim Rehman
Asim Rehman will serve as Commissioner and Chair of the Business Integrity Commission. He most recently led the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) as Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge.
Rehman has held senior roles across City government, including at the Department of Investigation (DOI), the Law Department and the Department of Correction, and has experience in private practice and financial institutions. A Staten Island native, Rehman received his B.A. from Haverford College and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
As Commissioner and Chair of the Business Integrity Commission, Rehman will work to improve traffic and worker safety in the trade waste industry, ensure that regulated companies conduct their business fairly and with integrity, and protect New Yorkers against corruption and fraud.
"I am honored to join the NYC Business Integrity Commission as its next Commissioner and Chair, and I thank Mayor Mamdani for this incredible opportunity to serve our great city," said Asim Rehman, BIC Commissioner and Chair "By furthering BIC's mission of combatting corruption, promoting fairness, advancing safety, and ensuring integrity in the industries that BIC regulates, we can achieve the Mamdani administration's goals of making the city safer, holding bad actors accountable, and protecting consumers, employees, and small businesses. Having held leadership roles at the Law Department, DOI, DOC, and OATH, and having conducted regulatory and anti-corruption investigations in the private sector, I am ready to get the job done."
Ahmer Qadeer
Ahmer Qadeer will serve as Director and Chief Pension Administrator of the Mayor's Office of Pensions and Investments. He brings experience in economic justice, labor policy and corporate governance, and worked with labor-affiliated pension and benefit funds.
Qadeer previously held leadership roles at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and worked in research and policy focused on workers' rights. He holds a Ph. D. in Planning and Public Policy where his research focused on regulation in housing markets.
As Director of the Mayor's Office of Pensions and Investments, Qadeer will serve as the Mayor's primary pension and deferred compensation plan trustee. In this role, Qadeer will work to ensure the retirement security of nearly 800,000 active and retired City workers, and to responsibly steward their $300+ billion in assets under management for the long term.
"I am honored by this appointment and looking forward to contributing to the stewardship of the City's pensions on behalf of working New Yorkers. I look forward to working with partners across the pension systems to ensure that the City's investments continue to deliver strong, responsible returns and long-term value," said Ahmer Qadeer, MOPI Director and Chief Pension Administrator.
