CHARLOTTE — Former Charlotte city councilmembers and podcast hosts Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston are teaming up again. The duo behind R&D in the QC is leading the Charlotte office of The Southern Group. The Southern Group is a lobbying firm.
“Charlotte is not just where we built our careers, it is home, and we both feel a deep responsibility to give back to the city that gave us so much,” Bokhari said in a news release.
R&D in the QC is back. Kind of. Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston are leading The Southern Group's Charlotte office #ncpol #CLTCC https://t.co/L6yis3mhss
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) January 21, 2026
“As Charlotte continues to grow, we have to make sure that growth translates into real opportunity for more people, whether through upward mobility, affordable housing, safer neighborhoods, or better outcomes for our kids,” Egleston said in a news release. “We are excited to use this platform not only to help businesses succeed, but to support the organizations and community leaders who are already doing the hard work every day to make Charlotte stronger.”
Bokhari served on Charlotte City Council from 2017 until 2025. He recently left his position as deputy administrator for the Federal Transit Administration. Egleston served on Charlotte City Council from 2017 until 2022. He recently left his position as an aide for Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
VIDEO: Former Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari no longer with FTA
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