Inside Mamdani’s Zooms with business leaders: ‘It doesn’t mean we like him’

Zohran Mamdani has been working overtime in the last few weeks to win over executives, heads of nonprofit organizations and even real estate developers, sources tell me.

The mayoral candidate has been joining dozens of Zooms in an effort to court the people who will actually have to pay for his proposed $10 billion yearly increase in spending.

Kathy Wylde, head of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit made up of hundreds of CEOs focused on strengthening the business climate, has hosted several Zooms with Mamdani over the last few weeks. The calls have been primarily for executives who cancelled their meetings with him over the summer but have since gotten realistic about his odds of winning.

“Since the primary there has been some nuance added to his policy ideas,” Wylde told me. “At least he is listening to questions like ‘how do you freeze rents without freezing costs’.”

Zohran Mamdani has been joining dozens of Zooms in an effort to court the people who will actually have to pay for his proposed $10 billion yearly increase in spending. Paul Martinka

One source who joined a Zoom was quick to note that the flurry of meetings between Mamdani and business executives does not mean anyone is shifting allegiances.

“We’ve known Cuomo for 30 years … Mamdani has been on the scene for two minutes — it doesn’t mean we like him,” a native New Yorker and CEO with decades of experience told me.

On some of the Zooms, Mamdani has also tried to assure these people about his support for police commissioner Jessica Tisch — a topic he is often asked about in these meetings.

“Since the primary there has been some nuance added to his policy ideas,” Kathy Wylde, head of the Partnership for New York City nonprofit, told NYNext. Bloomberg via Getty Images

This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC’s power players (and those who aspire to be).

How that might play out beyond these private conversations remains to be seen. Mamdani’s press office did not respond to a request for comment.

And while Mamdani is trying to charm the wealthy people he’s criticized — he needs their money to fund his policies — many of them are skeptical and hopeful he won’t actually be able to push through his agenda.

“He’s never run anything before… I’m doubtful he can do this now,” the CEO source said. 

Some of the recent meetings suggest Mamdani may be more flexible than he’s seemed on the campaign trail when it comes to actually implementing his agenda.

“He’s been clear about his goals of affordability and said he’s open to how we achieve them,” Wylde told me. “The question is who will he appoint and will they be people who can run the city?”