Ed Skyler, a close confidant and aide of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is leaving City Hall for a financial job.
Skyler is the second deputy mayor to leave the administration that just entered its third term. Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg's other top adviser, recently announced he would go.
Skyler rose quickly through the ranks. He was Bloomberg's campaign spokesman in 2001, his spokesman during his first term, and deputy mayor in his second term.
He is the youngest and one of the most powerful members of Bloomberg's inner circle.
Skyler, who's 36, assisted Bloomberg in managing the police department, fire department, budget office and labor relations. He directly oversaw the mayor's environmental agenda, the transportation and buildings departments, and the Taxi and
Limousine Commission, among others.
In a statement, Mayor Bloomberg said during his eight years at City Hall, Skyler "emerged as a creative problem-solver and seasoned negotiator. Never afraid of telling me what he thinks, he has served with integrity and thoughtfulness, showing great judgment in every job I have given him. We will miss him and wish him the best of luck as he begins a new opportunity.”
The identity of the firm where Skyler will go is not yet known — it is not Bloomberg LP, The New York Times reported.
For his part, Skyler thanked Bloomberg, calling him "a great Mayor."
"He (Bloomberg) has been the best boss one could ever hope for. I have devoted a lot of time and energy to making New York City work better throughout my career in government. Although I am ready for my next step, this experience is irreplaceable," Skyler said.
Skyler, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, earned a law degree from the Fordham University School of Law, which he attended at night.
He also grabbed headlines last year when he tackled a teenage thief who snatched a Blackberry from the hands of an unsuspecting woman in SoHo.
