Varun Sanyal

Varun Sanyal is a Vice President of Government Relations & Policy in Gotham’s Development group. In this role, he leads the interface for governmental & external affairs and guides the development team with all discretionary land use processes and applications ranging from political strategy, planning/urban design, community outreach and environmental review on new projects.

Varun has accumulated over a decade of government experience. Prior to joining Gotham in 2022, he was the former Vice President of Real Estate at Kasirer, advising real estate clients on public approval processes, community engagement, land use strategies, and economic development. Earlier, he was at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, where he oversaw all economic development initiatives, and at the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, where he managed real estate planning across the borough. He also worked for the Assistant Deputy Majority leader at the New York City Council in charge of land use and legislation. Varun’s wide range of experience has led him to establish successful partnerships with a breadth of local stakeholders.

He was named a 2017 City & State NYC Rising Star, 2021 City & State Real Estate 40 under40, and 2026 City & State Who’s Who in Government Relations. Varun is on the Board of Directors of The Design Trust for Public Space.

Varun has a B.A. in Geography and Urban Studies from Temple University with honors and a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. He enjoys traveling the world (37 countries at last count), is a football (soccer) fanatic and is always on the quest for a good meal.