ɫɫ��

Massoudi — who worked with the premier and his late brother, former ɫɫ�� mayor Rob Ford, for years — was also chair of the Progressive Conservatives’ successful June 2 re-election campaign.

Calm and poised, he is well-regarded by colleagues and trusted implicitly by Ford, who said Friday he considers Massoudi “like family.”

“Since the early days at city hall, Amin has been by my side and has become one of my most-trusted advisers,” the premier said in a statement to the Star.

“He’s been a steady hand in my office, first serving as deputy chief of staff and then principal secretary and chair of our successful re-election campaign, and has helped encourage many young people inside and outside government to get more involved in politics and public service,” said Ford.

“Amin is like family, and he’ll continue to be a close adviser and friend. I wish him nothing but success in his next chapter,” he said.

“I know whatever he decides to do, he’ll do it with the same passion and dedication I’ve seen from him since the first time I met him as a young man starting out with my brother Rob.”

A new principal secretary has not yet been appointed.

Massoudi, 34, who joined the 2010 Rob Ford mayoral campaign straight out of Queen’s University, is expected to launch his own small public-affairs firm.

He has consulted with Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake on next moves because under Ontario’s , former staffers cannot directly lobby their ex-colleagues for one year.

“Serving in the premier’s office over the last four years has been the greatest honour of my life,” said Massoudi.

“I will always be grateful to the premier for this opportunity. I am confident that Ontario will continue to be extremely well-served by my dear friend, Premier Ford, and the solid team of ministers and staff he has built around him,” he said.

One Tory, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal machinations, said that during the Tories’ rocky first year in office, Massoudi often served as a buffer between staffers and Ford’s mercurial chief of staff, Dean French.

French, who finally left in June 2019 after the “French connection” cronyism scandal, was succeeded by Jamie Wallace, a former media executive and one-time Queen’s Park Press Gallery president.

Since then, Wallace and Massoudi worked closely to professionalize operations, elevating aides like deputy chief of staff for issues management Cody Welton, deputy chief of staff for strategic communications Travis Kann, and executive director of media relations Ivana Yelich.

In other moves Friday, Alexandra Adamo, who was Ford’s press secretary, is leaving to become director of communications to Health Minister and Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones.

“The best press secretary anyone could ask for. has been my right hand woman in the premier’s office for the better part of the last two years,” .

“I’m sad to let her go, but very happy she’s not going too far!”

Adamo begins her new role Monday. The legislature resumes Aug. 8 with a throne speech set for the following day.