Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Michael Fassnacht as the new president and CEO of World Business Chicago, the public-private entity charged with promoting the city to outsiders. Fassnacht, who is also the city’s Chief Marketing Officer, has led World Business Chicago in an interim capacity since January. Fassnacht succeeds Andrea Zopp, who left the position for the private sector in December. 

Paul Stewart, a former adviser and deputy assistant to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, has launched a new communications firm called Iluminara Public Affairs, according to a Wednesday announcement. The news release describes Iluminara as “a minority- owned shop offering strategic public affairs consulting services to clients across myriad sectors and industries.” Stewart was Lightfoot’s top adviser on cannabis policy until she fired him last year for unexplained reasons.