Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander announced Thursday he will step down at the end of the year to take a job in the private sector.
Englander has represented the 12th District in the San Fernando Valley since 2011, and has served as the council’s president pro tempore since 2013. His current term does not expire until December 2020.
The councilman will be leaving to take a job with the Oak View Group, a global sports and entertainment advisory, development and investment company, as its new executive vice president of government affairs, effective Jan. 1.
“Serving on the Los Angeles City Council has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life and has gone way beyond a career. I truly love what I do and who I work with,” Englander said. “Recently, I was presented with an amazing opportunity in the private sector to work with some of the most brilliant and well-respected leaders in their industry. While I didn’t seek this out, sometimes tremendous opportunities find you.”
Englander ran for a seat on the county Board of Supervisors in the 5th District in 2016 but failed to make the runoff in a crowded field, with Kathryn Barger ultimately winning the seat. He is the only Republican on the 15-member, officially nonpartisan council.
A reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, Englander chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, which oversees issues regarding the police and fire departments.
“Mitchell is extremely well-respected inside City Hall and well-liked all around the city. He brings with him a wealth of Los Angeles governmental experience and a fresh perspective. We are thrilled to welcome him to OVG,” company CEO Tim Leiweke and board member Irving Azoff said in a joint statement.