Connecticut Governor-elect Ned Lamont has announced that an investment banker with Bridgewater Associates, which is the world’s largest hedge fund, is leading his transition team. Lamont introduced the initial members of his transition team on Thursday.
Lamont said the executive director of the team is Brian Drajewicz, who used to work for former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut. Lamont said Drajewicz is taking a leave of absence from Bridgewater to run his transition team.
“I’m hoping he’s a keeper here for the State of Connecticut because he helps us as we guide our way through not just putting together a transition team, but together an administration that represents Connecticut values, represents the diversity of Connecticut. Folks from inside as well as outside the Hartford ecosystem here.”
Other members of the team include outgoing state Attorney General George Jepsen and Democratic state Representative Toni Walker of New Haven, who co-chairs the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee.
“The transition is looking at the organization of government. And what is the right mix of commissions and commissioners. So not just people but also structure, so we can really get this state working again,” Lamont said.
Elsa Núñez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, and Garrett Moran, a former private equity executive at the Blackstone Group who now runs the nonprofit Year Up, are also members of the team.
Lamont said he’ll be making more transition announcements in the coming week, including a state budget team and a business advisory board.
