New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed an eminent Indian-American digital media expert Sree Sreenivasan as the  new chief digital officer of the city. Sreenivasan will work on promoting access to local government through technology and support its tech ecosystem.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said that, "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."  

Previously, Sreenivasan has served as the first chief digital officer at the renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art's and at Columbia University as well.  

The mayor's office said in a statement that, Indian-origin Sreenivasan has also been a mayoral appointee on the Commission on Public Information and Communication (COPIC) since October 2015, where he helped the public in obtaining access to city information and helped develop strategies for the use of new communications technologies to improve access to, and distribution of city data.

Reacting to the appointment Srinivasan said that, "It's a real honor for me to serve as the CDO of the world's greatest city."

"There are so many opportunities to extend the Mayor’s Digital Playbook, collaborate closely across various sectors and help bring more startups here. I will draw on what I've learned working in four critical NYC industries: education, media, arts and culture, and nonprofits, and look forward to building on the great work of my predecessor Jessica Singleton and her predecessor, Rachel Haot." he added.

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Nandini