Santa Monica has selected Oliver Chi as its next city manager following a nationwide search, the City Council announced Friday.
Chi, who has served as Irvine's city manager since 2021, will earn an annual salary of $410,604 when he officially joins Santa Monica on July 14. The City Council is scheduled to formally approve his contract at its May 27 meeting.
As Santa Monica's city manager, Chi will oversee a total city budget of $789.9 million and a workforce of more than 2,000 employees.
Chi replaces Interim City Manager Elaine Polachek, who has led the city since former City Manager David White resigned in February.
Santa Monica has had a rotation of City Managers, both interim and permanent, in recent years. Before White, Former City Manager Rick Cole resigned in March 2020, citing an inability to preside over budget and staffing cuts the City was facing. City Attorney Lane Dilg took over the position until leaving in June 2021, when John Jalili took over as Interim City Manager.
"We are thrilled to welcome Oliver Chi to Santa Monica," Mayor Lana Negrete said. "He has the talent, skills and vision to address the city's most pressing needs and lead us into the future."
During his tenure in Irvine, Chi established the $1.2 billion, 300-acre Great Park expansion project, implemented housing initiatives under the Irvine Cares program, and created a city-led land development process for the $600 million Gateway Village project.
Chi previously held leadership roles in Huntington Beach, Monrovia, Rosemead and Barstow. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA.
Chi is married to Bobbie Jo and has two children, Ian, 12, and Avery, 8.