People to Watch in 2026 - Bill Dacunto

As New York City rings in 2026, there will be a new mayor at the helm, and Gov. Kathy Hochul is up for reelection.

Here at the New York Business Journal, we will be paying attention to the people shaping the city's business landscape, with a keen focus on commercial real estate and economic development.

Our People to Watch in 2026 pulls from a variety of business sectors, a reflection of the dynamic news cycle in New York, and highlights the movers and shakers we expect to make headlines over the next 12 months.

The list this year includes executives who are looking to inject new life into their businesses, key stakeholders in both emerging and established New York City neighborhoods, restaurateurs with plans to enter new markets, and a key member of the new mayor's administration.

Here's a look at 15 executives we will be watching in 2026:

Bill Dacunto, executive vice president, Silverstein Properties

Bill Dacunto manages all 15 million square feet of office space in Silverstein Properties' portfolio. With the company since 1987, since 2001 he has worked to rebuild the World Trade Center with 3 WTC, 4 WTC and 7 WTC. Meanwhile, with the 25-year anniversary of 9/11 this year, office development 2 WTC and mixed-use project 5 WTC are still in the works. Reports emerged last year that Silverstein was negotiating with American Express to be the anchor tenant for 2 WTC, which would enable construction on the project. And 5 WTC is also off schedule: Construction was expected to begin in 2023 but hasn't yet. With New York City's office market heating back up and residential vacancy falling to lows, look for movement on the World Trade Center's final pieces.

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