Welcoming Francisco Pineda, Executive Vice President for Business and Operations and Chief Operating Officer
A Message from Joel Towers, President and University Professor
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to share that Francisco X. Pineda will join The New School on January 27th as Executive Vice President for Business and Operations and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Francisco will serve as a member of the university’s leadership team and will provide strategic oversight for Finance, Business and Resource Services, Safety and Facilities, Human Resources, Labor Relations, and Information Technology. He will partner and collaborate with me, the Provost, Executive Deans, and other university colleagues and stakeholders, including our Trustees, to support the overall mission of the university.
Francisco brings over 25 years of leadership and operational expertise across business, non-profit, and higher education sectors to The New School. A seasoned strategy, operations, and finance executive, he has successfully led large and small teams at prominent institutions, with a focus on fostering service, mentorship, and a culture of excellence and collaboration. Most recently, Francisco served as the Executive Vice President of Asset Management at the New York City Economic Development Corporation overseeing the City’s extensive real estate portfolio, including commercial, industrial, and strategic properties, as well as economic development assets. His responsibilities also encompassed the City’s river and harbor ports, major urban adaptive reuse projects, and one of the nation’s most ambitious municipal decarbonization initiatives. Throughout his career, Francisco has successfully expanded business lines and educational programs, managing revenue-generating portfolios exceeding $400 million. He has been instrumental in navigating complex debt restructuring processes, mergers, integrations, and structuring numerous equity and debt transactions. Francisco’s extensive background in infrastructure, private equity, and turnaround management, gained through roles at Merrill Lynch, Hess, and BNP Paribas, has enabled him to offer unique insights and valuable contributions to mission-driven and purpose-focused institutions.
A passionate advocate for education, research, and innovation, Francisco served as Columbia University’s Graduate Program Director and Faculty for Construction Administration from 2015 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in propelling the program to the top of national rankings through his dedication to students, industry, and program faculty. He continued as faculty until September of 2024. His time at Columbia afforded him the opportunity to convene and contribute to national and global initiatives, including serving on high-profile committees such as President Biden’s Infrastructure Policy Committee (2020), the NYC Task Force on Procurement Reform (2022), the World Economic Forum’s Infrastructure 4.0 Working Group, Columbia’s Construction Diversity Initiative, and the MTA’s Major Construction Review Unit.
Francisco holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a BA in History. He is currently completing his PhD in Urban Systems at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, advancing his research on sustainable regional systems and the intersection of finance, technology, and governance. Francisco is a decorated U.S. Navy veteran who served in support of stability and humanitarian aid operations in Africa, Asia, and alongside UN missions.
Francisco’s multidisciplinary experience in public service and career in infrastructure, the built environment, and academia make him an ideal addition to our community. He is excited to join The New School and help advance our distinctive mission. I look forward to his partnership as we build an even stronger Business and Operations organization to support our university.
Please join me in welcoming Francisco to The New School.