Sreenivasan was laid off by the Met last month.
AB Wire
Noted Indian American tech maven and former chief digital officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Sree Sreenivasan has been appointed as the chief digital officer of New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the decision on Monday.
As Chief Digital Officer, Sreenivasan will work to increase access to City-led technology initiatives, focus on outreach to the tech community, and direct citywide digital policy. He will begin his new role this fall, the mayor’s office said in a statement.
Sreenivasan was laid off by the Met last month along with two other top officials to cut costs.
“To move our city’s digital ecosystem into the 21st century, we need to ensure our city’s resources are at the fingertips of every New Yorker. With Sree Sreenivasan’s wealth of experience, I am confident that he will work to promote transparency, access, and progressive values with our digital tools, helping spread access across the five boroughs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In his new role, Sreenivasan will direct the Office of Digital Strategy (NYC Digital) to launch digital products that encourage civic engagement, increase government transparency, and support New York City’s thriving tech ecosystem. The Chief Digital Officer reports to the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, Alicia Glen.
Sreenivasan, a former teacher of journalism and Dean at Columbia University, and one of the most renowned social media experts globally is the first Chief Digital Officer of Columbia University. He has also been a mayoral appointee on the Commission on Public Information and Communication (COPIC) since October 2015.
Born in Japan, Sreenivasan holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University.
“Thank you, Mayor @BilldeBlasio & @DMAliciaGlen, for my fab role as next NYC CDO,” Sreenivasan tweeted on Monday.
“I am exhilarated but also grateful. What happens in New York has an impact on the world as people pay attention to what happens in NYC. There is a lot of importance to what we do as we’ll be setting standards that will help other cities,” he told Firstpost.