George Helmy, Gov. Phil Murphy’s chief of staff and the most powerful non-elected official in the state, will be leaving the administration at the end of the month.
His future plans have not been announced.
According to multiple reports, Helmy will remain the governor’s primary political adviser and continue to manage his political relationships outside of state government, in New Jersey and nationally.
“The news, with a heavy heart, is that … George Helmy is at long last moving on,” Murphy was quoted in a brief Politico interview.
“I don’t know where we would be without George,” Murphy said in an announcement. “Simply put, you cannot write the history of our administration without recognizing George’s singular role in leading our team for over four and a half years. His unique mix of public- and private-sector experience, strong management skills and deep relationships across the political spectrum made him uniquely capable to excel in this job. From managing our all-of-government response to a once-in-a-century pandemic to driving nearly every single one of our legislative goals to completion, George has put his heart and soul into serving the people of New Jersey.
“George will continue to play a key role as a point person for our key relationships with national and state level political leaders,” Murphy continued. “I wish him well in his next chapter, and I look forward to continuing to rely on his wise counsel as not only a trusted colleague, but more importantly, a close friend.”
Helmy has been chief of staff since Feb. 4, 2019.
